Rara Animis
by kimcat
Summary: Danny Fenton just wanted to make his parents happy, but when he fell into the portal at a young age, he finds himself taken under the wing of some of the infinite realms' greatest warriors in hopes that he can fulfill an age-old prophecy and free them from the upcoming dark tyrant.
1. Prelude

So here's my first multi-chap fic in a while! (that's all mine I should add) But I'd like to hive a big thank you to Fiverivers (ffn) for helping me proof this story! Please comment if you can as constructive critiques are always helpful!

also if anyone is curious the title means 'rare heart' or 'rare spirit' when translated from Latin

^..^

**Rara Animis**

-..-..-..-

-..-..-..-

Clockwork lets out a tired sigh as he stares up at his many screens. It seemed this timeline was heading towards an inevitability, much like the others he had glimpsed. The spectre closed his eyes for a moment as he looked through the eyes of his clones, his brethren, the other Clockworks' across other timelines.

Timelines whirred behind his eyes, he saw so many. Some flickered out, some flourished, while others... Well, he'd rather not think about those. He was infinite. He was powerful. And, in this way, he was able to see all. When one controls time, it is hard not to explore.

So, he took it upon himself to poke and prod in different ways. He could see down the line how such things can affect the world around him, and that of the living, before returning back to only milliseconds after he had done so. In this way, he was the constant. The splitting and reconnecting of the timelines meant nothing to him, as there was always a handful of 'Clockworks' that had not gone to prod, watching dutifully as his other splits explored what did what. It was the ability to explore and reset that gave him a 'legendary' status among the ghosts.

Doing nothing of course, seemed to be preferred for most outcomes, however on occasion, things would need a simple nudge, a gentle tweak... When a light shone out, a beacon for a 'best way' things may go, a static version of himself would act, and older running timelines would merge. Some humans may notice this as deja-vu. His interference was sometimes something small, sometimes something big, but always necessary for the good of all...

Or at least that's how he saw it.

Some things, however, are impossible to avoid. No matter how you fight, no matter what you change, certain events will always end up in some way shape or form coming to pass. While these events were rare, it seems as though they shaped the future in more ways then even he could comprehend.

This just happened to be one of those things. It was still a long while into the future, almost a thousand years to be exact, but it would be a nightmare for many that will come to pass...

This is when prophecies were born. From an inevitability that even Clockwork can't work around, but can only warn of or advise, and watch as things come to pass.

Yes, that was one of the best ways to make this outcome reach it's most positive end.

And so, he moved from his screens, mirrored shimmering viewing portals that allowed him to see through the eyes of the many other Clockworks that were following his timeline the most closely. With parchment in hand and inked feather at the ready, the ancient time ghost began to write his warning.

_On the day that carbon land shifts realms and rivers tremble within  
A challenge of marked depravity will bring about a reunion_

_If slumbering Darkness is woken by one who has reach of realms in twain  
Only one of same blood can quell the rage and harsh flames_

_When red turns green with an unfortunate accident, the Darksbane will form  
It is them, the inverted hybrid who shall bring forth an end to the God of war_

Clockwork read it over once, twice, and a third to be sure. A smile crept its way onto his lips. Cryptic enough that one could be left to interpretation, while precise enough that one astute in his amusements could easily find the hidden meanings. He did hate the fact that some ghosts were so perceptive with his words.

They took the fun out of it, honestly.

With an amused smirk and a wave of his staff this timeline was put on hold as a clone was made to drop off the rolled parchment, with his seal stamped onto the page. The meeting of elders had just begun a mere seven minutes, thirty-nine seconds ago, and at precisely eight minutes, three seconds, the prophecy would be left for the elders to find.

After all, his star player within the vision would be first noticed on August, third...

"Yes, I'm sure in no time, they will come to appreciate the joke," Clockwork mused to himself with a knowing smirk. He continues watching on his screen, enjoying how the elders reacted to his gift. "And now the future is in your hands," he hums.

With a flick of his wrist, the screen goes to a different set of eyes, a different him along a different path, once more. A view of Pariah Dark grins evilly back at him.

"Yes, All is as it should be."

-..-..-..-

-..-..-..-

Danny Fenton smiled happily up at his parents as they moved about the giant thing they were making. They looked excited and happy, and that made him happy too. He shifted his focus to the papers, crayons and markers that were strewn about the floor.

"Jassey look! Look! I want dat one! Give?" Danny cried, tugging on his sister's sleeve.

"No! Stop! You're gunna stretch it!" Jazz whined, pulling her arm out of her little brothers grasp.

"But ya gotsta share!" he whined right back, his lower lip coming out into a pout as he gave his sister the most begging look he could muster.

"No! Stop it!" Jazz huffed angrily. "Mom! He's doing it again!"

"Honestly you two, figure it out for yourselves." Maddie sighed, pushing up her face shield to look over to her kids. "Jazz, I asked you to keep an eye on your brother, andmake sure he doesn't play with any tools. We don't need to come running to help you when Danny just wants to use your markers.

"But they're mine! He always ruins them!" She complained. As proof, she produces a marker that had had its tip frayed into something more akin to a mop than a marker tip from the abundance of pressure applied to it.

"Aw, don't worry Jazzy-pants, we can always get new ones later. Just make do for now okay princess?" Jack offers as he pulls himself out of the portal, pulling off a pair of soiled nitrite gloves. "Besides, it'll only be a little longer before we can turn this puppy on! And you two will be the first to see it!" Jack boomed brightly.

"Fine..." Jazz huffed, before returning to her colouring.

Danny, of course, had stolen the bright blue marker he wanted in order to finish his spaceship picture. "Look! It's us!" He grinned.

The picture was not really anything spectacular for the child, truly, but Jazz feigned excitement anyway, wanting to make her parents proud of her. Sure enough, the picture was of them, sorta... The messily drawn bubbly humanoid figures were sticking out of an opened rocket, one with a scribble of black hair and one with orange. Danny had even dutifully labelled the characters he drew as 'me' beneath that was 'Danny' written messily across the shirt, and 'jazs' was labelled under the orange-haired figure.

"Looks good," she said somewhat dryly. "You spelt' my name wrong. How ya gunna do when you start school if you dunno your alphabets?"

"I know how to sing 'em..." Danny pouted hugging the drawing to his chest, as though to hide it from her, having been deemed unworthy.

"So? You can't write em right..." Jazz said smugly. "Kinder-garden is the first step! You gotta be ready!" she insists.

"I dun' wanna go 'ta school," the youngest grumbled through his pout. "I dun' wanna turn four anymore."

"You can't stop your birthday from happening, sweetie. Come on. We're ready to turn this on!" Maddie said as she comes over to her kids, ruffling her boy's hair as she walks past.

"Yeah, they never stop!" Jack smirks sending a teasing grin to his wife. "But never mind that... You kids excited?" he boomed.

"Yeah!" Danny cheered, while Jazz just stares worryingly towards the hole in the wall.

"Yeah!" Jack echoed, grinning brightly hyping up his boy all the more. "And guess what? We made you kids something special for the occasion!"

"Birthday gifts?" Danny inquired.

"Nope. Gift for this." Maddie cooed, nodding to the portal as she comes back into view with two tiny jumpsuits styled after theirs, just in white and black only for their kids. Both the children frown at their 'gifts' before looking back to their parents. After an encouraging smile from the adults, the young Fentons start putting on their suits.

"Aw, don't look so upset about it! Look, it's even got my face on it!" Jack beams, an unwavering smile taking over to match the sticker. As Danny zipped up his suit he noticed said sticker. He promptly ripped it off and stuck it onto his sisters back.

"Mom! Dad!" Jazz calls as she whirs about, upon realizing what her younger sibling had done. She let out a whining tone upon realizing that she was being ignored.

Danny carefully folded his drawing in half and stuffed it into one ofthe jumpsuit's pockets. Happy his masterpiece was now safe, he moved to stand beside his mother, who was now grasping Jazz's hand in excitement. Jack moved around doing a final check before finally connecting the thick (water-cooled) power cables, and beginning to charge the capacitors.

A loud hum and a trill of electricity filled the air, along with the scent of static. Danny felt his hair stand slightly on end as he shook in excitement. Maddie released Jazz from her hold and moves to grab a small portable tape recorder that she would record her logs with.

"I nearly forgot in the excitement," she mused to her husband. Turning her attention back to the recorder she begins her log, "August third. We just finished our preparations and are about to make our first test..."

Danny tuned his mother out and instead focused on his father. The man was bouncing in excitement, and the child mimicked the movements eagerly. Though he had no idea why he was excited, he was just happy that his parents were happy.

Maddie finished her log before nodding to Jack, who eagerly threw the large switch at the front of the portal into the 'on' position. A loud cracking sounded through the lab with an accompanying flash that reminded Danny strongly of green lightning causing him to flinch slightly, much to his sister's amusement.

A few more loud cracks and a small green spiral flickered in and out in the centre of the hole. Danny's eyes went wide. It was pretty! And glowed a similar colour to the stars that were on the ceiling in his bedroom! The young black haired child was immediately enamoured**.**

Unfortunately, it seemed that's all the hole in the wall was destined to do. Shortly after it had started to spring to life it fizzled and died. A deep frown took over Jack's face, one that looked so unnatural on the man that it made Danny rush forward to hug him.

"Well, it's certainly progress**,**" Maddie sighed out. "Honestly it performed better then I would have thought..."

"Your right, Mads." Jack agreed with a sigh of his own, pressing Danny into his leg as he gives in to the requested hug.

"What do you say we break for lunch? Maybe we'll do an early dinner and barbecue up some burgers?" Maddie offered with a half-hearted grin. She knew that building a portal to another dimension wouldn't be easy, but it still hadn't stopped her from hoping it would work on the first try.

"That would really hit the spot" Jack agreed, ruffling his boy's hair before moving to head up the stairs. "You kids clean that up before you come up okay?" he said with a gesture to the markers and paper just beside the stairs, as he headed up to help his wife.

The children nod, but as soon as the parents were out of site, Jazz rounds on her little brother. "Not it!" she calls before immediately turning and bolting up the stairs, laughing maniacally all the way.

"No fair!" Danny whined, pouting as his sister disappears up the stairs. He kicked at the markers in anger. He scowled down at them as though it was their fault he had to clean them up. It was as he was wondering if it would be a viable option to kick everything under the nearby work desk, that he heard a low 'bzzt' noise.

Danny turned towards the sound to stare at the large hole his parents had been working on for as long as he could remember. It was like a third kid to his parents, and it made them really upset when it failed to work. Curiosity overtook him and he approached the large gaping maw of the metallic doorway. His footfalls seemed to echo about as he entered the chamber, a sudden temperature drop ran a chill down his spine and made the child shiver as he ventured deeper.

To him, in his mind, this metal doorway that had, for a few seconds, glowed brighter than the stars, was simply asleep, exactly like the stars.

"They sleep during the day but are awake all night!" That revelation spurred him on, further and further to the back of the den. There was a small light back there and he felt it was his duty to investigate it.

The glowing light was that same colour as the swirl from before, the bright green of his stars! Did his parents stick one in here for good luck? As he got closer he realized it was a glowing button. Danny blinked in confusion before reaching out to touch the firefly like light, almost as though he was entranced.

His tiny fingers pushed into the light, and it easily gave way under his touch. With a bright smile he pulled it back, except it didn't come off, and slipped free from his gloved hand. The click it made when it popped up fully was loud and echoy in the tunnel.

It was then the soft humming, that he had ignored until now, became a loud cacophony in his ears as metal parts swirled around, spinning every-which-way above and beside him. Mesmerized, the child didn't realize the sleeping dragon had finally been awoken.

The hum built up, getting ever louder, until a crack of lightning near the mouth of the opening crackled in the buzzing crescendo, snapping Danny out of his awe. It was only about a metre away from where he stood, so close he could feel the heat, and his hair stood on end from the static that had been discharged.

The child backed towards the wall, hoping to escape the lighting. This proved to be a fruitless effort however, as when his back press into the cold metal he was suddenly hit with a sharp pins and needles sensation, causing him to yelp and jump forward, narrowly missing another lightning strike.

"Mommy! Daddy!" he calls his voice crackling in fear, drowned out by the hum and lightning strikes.

Danny's eyes began to water in fright and he let out a high pitched keening whimper as the lightning seemed to strike faster and faster, moving further and further into the contraption he had trapped himself within. He couldn't move back any further, the wall now sparking noticeably with the green electricity. One hand brushed too close to the back wall, and the other was struck immediately as the lightning finally reached him. He couldn't do much more than let out a scream.

Bright blinding light, first green then white, fills his vision as sharp, coarse pulsing pain surges through him. He can feel it jumping from his fingers to the floor, through the bottom of his feet up through his arm to the wall and coming down on him from above. The volts using him to bridge a gap had little issue racing through the child, using his body as an easy bridge to jump from place to place in the portal. The protection his parents had given him was quickly proving to be useless for power of this magnitude.

Danny found after a few seconds, although the agony seemed to stretch for hours, he could no longer scream. He couldn't breathe. Nothing responded to his will and his mind only registered the pain. Numbing yet sharp, running in zigzags over every inch of his skin, colouring it, tinting it. When he finally started to feel sleepy he grabbed at the sensation desperately, eager for anything to make this end. As the blackness edged his vision he heard the frantic cry of his parents calling his name, then, nothing.

The Fenton parents raced down and threw off the main power switch, only to find Danny no longer there. They were justifiably more then a little upset. Their son had just been more or less incinerated in their invention. Upon investigation, they found exactly what had happened. A kill switch, placed at the back of the portal, one they had apparently left engaged, their son had turned off, and thus started up the portal... with him inside it.

Suddenly, the term kill switch took on a whole new connotation.

Jazz was inconsolable. "It's my fault! I got him killed!" she wailed. "If I'd just cleaned like a good girl Danny would still be here!"

Nothing the parents did would calm her down, though if they were to be honest, their fretting daughter wasn't the thing heir minds were on. "Danny..." Maddie sobbed out into her husband's chest.

Jack through watering eyes held the girls close. He had to be strong. He had to be the rock for his family, he knew he had to let his wife let her have her time now, so he could have his later. Now, however, he simply opted to hide his face in the auburn and fiery hair of the two, the only ones left of his family. He never wanted to let them go... No matter how much he knew he would eventually have to.

The memorial service was held some time later, as there was no body to bury. While the parents grieve at an empty tomb, an ancient ghost watches with a sad, but knowing smile on his face. "All is as it should be," the clone muses before dissipating into smoke.

From within the confines of his lair Clockwork opens his eyes with a sigh, and stares at a lone white haired child on passed out on a rock in the depths of the realm. "It won't be too long now," he mused.


	2. Dead, But Not Gone

**Rara Animis **

**Chapter2**

**Dead, But Not Gone**

-..-..-..-

-..-..-..-

The white-haired child opened his eyes to the green sky. Wait green? The sky shouldn't be... right? The boy tried to sit up slowly, his... everything hurt. Hurt bad. With a grunt, he managed to pull his body somewhat upright and peered over the rock he was sitting on. The rock itself, however, had nothing supporting it. That isn't right...Or, at least, it didn't feel right ...Right?

As he sees the massive swirl of green just a bit away a lingering phantom pain of static trailed over his arms. His eyes widened as he tried to back away from it. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the floating rock he was on, the boy lost his balance and tumbled downward.

With a frightened squawk, the boy managed to direct his downward trajectory onto a new floating rock somehow. He belly flops onto it and was happy to discover it didn't hurt nearly as much as he'd thought it should have. Plus, this one was a little bigger and seemed to be more stable.

He curled his arms around his knees as his little mind raced. "Mommy... Daddy...?" he sobbed into his legs.

It was with that pitiful call he realized something horrifying. He couldn't seem to recall a clear picture of his parents! How? How could that be? Vague blurs of colour, blue and orange filled his mind. He wanted his parents so desperately right now...But would he recognize them? NO! They needed to find him! And he really needed a hug.

"'M sorry I took the marker," he sobbed out. Was this his punishment for taking it when he shouldn't have? Is that why his parents hadn't come to scold him yet? They were mad science people after all...at least that's what the other adults at the park had said. That anger had been burned into his brain. Maybe his parents erased his mind?

No, that didn't seem right. "I don't know! I'm sorry!" he sobbed before throwing his head back to cry out. "Help!" he wailed into the sky.

"Oh dear, that's quite a set of pipes you have there, little one," a gentle voice sounded from behind, startling the child. Once again, he threw himself upwards and fell off the rock, little arms flailing desperately. "I got ya," the voice called before jumping after him.

He wasn't sure what to expect, but the person catching him and then flying them both back up to the rock like a superhero was not it. Regardless, the little child looked to this person with a new sense of awe. It was then he took notice of their blue-tinted skin and orange-red armour. The colour pallet felt so soothing and he clung desperately to them.

"I dunno... I dunno what happened!" hecried desperately into the chest of this person he'd never met, at least he didn't think he had. "I... I was- and now I'm..." he managed out between sobs and sniffles.

"Oh, I'm sorry little one, but... I think I understand," theperson said solemnly. "Do you know where you are?"

"No... It's all green, and it, the sky! It's green!" he sniffled.

"It's alright. Come, it's not safe for one so young to be out alone like this," they said. "My name is, Aspida, do you remember yours?"

"I'm... I..." the child began to panic as he struggled to remember, it was like something so close, yet just out of reach. Upon realizing his mind was bringing up a blank, he began to sob again.

"It is alright, child," Aspida said soothingly. "Not all things are recalled when one comes here at first. I'm sure in time you will remember, and if this is not the case, then you can pick a new name if you so choose."

"But... But I want _my_ name!" the boy sniffed before wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Well then, we shall put pause on trying to gain you a new name, hm?" Aspida hummed out, rubbing small circles in the child's back. "Come along, child. We are in transit, and I fear I have taken away enough time from the convoy."

The tyke simply buried his face into the ghost's armour, which, strangely, seemed to almost bend as he gripped it. The plates seemed to melt under his touch as though some sort of sponge, only to harden if he applied too much pressure once again.

"What have you found, sister?" agentle, but distinctly feminine, voice asked. The little one picked his head up from Aspida's armour to examine the owner of the new voice. She was dressed similar to the one who was currently holding him, though her blue skin was a shade brighter. She had a length of green hair tied tightly back in a braid, but what caught the young child's attention, more than the spear she wielded, was her four arms.

"A babe?" she asked, moving her upper set of arms to brush away some of the tot's white hair allowing her to look at his emerald eyes, before taking the child from her friend. The boy had no problem with this, as the two women just seemed to emit safety and protection.

"It seems as such, yes, and new to the realm as well," Aspida said solemnly. "Nary a core vibration, I doubt he's a day old."

"Poor dear."

"Dory, would you take him to the cart? He can't yet fly."

"Of course, sister," the newly named Dory responded before floating off to a large cart drawn by a pegasus.

The child couldn't help but stare at all the oddly dressed people. Warriors? Yes, that felt right. A few ruby eyes blinked at him in confusion, a couple smiled but no one seemed to pay him any real mind. "Can I trust you to stay here among these herbs?" Dory asked releasing the child onto the cart.

He looked at the oddly coloured and glowing plants he had been placed with. He wrinkled his nose at the strong smell before turning to look at the orange and blue lady with a pout.

She chuckled seeing his face. "Do not worry, child. I will be near," she offered soothingly. "Or if not me, one of my sisters will assist."

The youngster nodded and settled himself down upon a box to sit, grasping the edge of the oddly coloured and also glowing cart.

Did everything glow here? Even the people glowed. Did he glow? He blinked down at his gloved hand in confusion upon seeing that, yes, he was in fact glowing. It felt like he shouldn't, yet everything else did, so maybe that was normal. A loud crack caused him to flinch and dive for the herb pile just as the cart began to move.

"Are you alright? Did the whip scare you?" Dory asked as she flew alongside the cart.

"Whip?" he echoed. Literally. Was his voice always like that? "Not lightning?"

"Lightning?" the warrior wondered before her ruby eyes widened slightly. "No child. No lightning will be near this part of the barrens.

The boy nodded in acceptance as he picked himself up from the floor of the cart. He watched the landscape slip by at blurring speeds faster then he could ever hope to comprehend. There was the odd time if he focused really hard, he could see a purple door, and one time he thought he saw a skull on an island floating all by itself!

It was like an ocean, a water-less ocean. Or space! Yeah, it was more like outer space! The rocks were like the meteors and the large islands were like planets! Then what would be the stars? He looked about, his eyes scanning diligently about the blurring landscape, before focusing in on the woman flying a little ways away. She was glowing a brilliant orange colour as she expelled her energy to keep pace. Them! And him! "We're the stars!" he gasps out excitedly.

He felt his chest hum happily at that association.

It wasn't long before a new planet/island came into view directly in front of them. The child eyed it over the horse's furiously flapping wings, swallowing as he wondered if they would crash. They weren't exactly slowing... It seemed he needn't have worried, however, as suddenly everything in the long train of carts and people simply halted, and began floating gently down.

The tyke looked about the area as they descended, eagerly rushing back and forth within the cart's confines like he was the ball in a ping-pong match. This place! He'd never seen anything like this! There were so many colours and so many people, and the buildings looked like nothing he had ever seen! Although to be fair, that wasn't saying much with his current memory issue.

More four armed people were starting to crowd about them, some wearing the orange-red armour, some wearing simple tunics or garbs, but everyone began unpacking the caravans. "Lady Pandora!" Dory called upon seeing the leader.

A tall woman with four arms towered over all the others, like a queen bee observing her workers within the hive. "How was the trade with the western desert?" the tall woman asked. Her voice was as sharp as her eyes as they scanned the carts. The small child ducked down upon seeing her start to turn towards him.

He wasn't sure why, but it was like an instinct, from that same place that made him feel good before, that told him that this was not someone he wanted to be on the wrong side of.

"It went well, we were able to make everything go through pound for pound," Dory said back curtly. "However, on our way back Aspida heard a keen-call, and we found a babe. We believe him a day old phantom at most. Perhaps three or four in lived years." she reported

"A babe?" Pandora asked, her tone taking one of a steely warrior to that of a concerned mother.

"Truly. We felt it our duty to protect him."

"Yes, yes, of course! You made the right choice in this." Pandora nodded. "Who ha- Ah!" she exclaimed with a bright smile, seeing the odd white tuft poking out of the herb cart. "Thank you, Dory, you are dismissed. I will take the babe from here."

The warrior woman saluted before heading off into the crowd to do whatever duties she was required. The boy blinked as he suddenly found himself hoisted up by the large imposing leader. "Oh!" he squeaked out. "Hello..."

"Do you know your name, young phantom?" Pandora asked soothingly, cradling the child to her chest.

He shook his head sadly before asking. "Phantom?"

"That is what you are, not who. A ghost, a spirit of one once living." She responds. The boy blinked up at her confused. "Never worry, it will come in about a week's time I would wager."

"I like Phantom... It sounds almost right..." He offered as he blinked up at her with big green eyes.

"Then, for now, Phantom you shall be." Pandora smiles. "You have travelledfar I'm sure, would you like to join me for dinner?" Phantom's eyes widened at the thought of food and he nodded eagerly, causing Pandora to chuckle. "Then we shall eat together."

With that settled, Pandora spun on her heel, sending a nod to one of her amazon warriors to communicate that they were now in charge of the unload, while Phantom continued to gawk about at the buildings.

It wasn't until they approached the palace that Phantom spoke up "Whoa! It's huge! And pretty!"

The building was easily the largest of the area, with huge columns and pillars holding the ecto-green stone aloft. Gold and red glowing carvings adorned the walls and bases of the pillars. At the top of the stairs they were ascending, was an odd-looking creature. It looked like a lion with a goat on it's back, and when it shifted it had... a snake for a tail?

Pandora barely spared the creature a glance, so Phantom too had no choice but to assume that was a normal thing to see around this new place. They entered the grandiose hall which looked more like something Phantom had seen in a museum once, and before he knew what was happening he was in a new room, and another. Passing so fast it made his head spin. In the next moment, he was being placed at a long table and blinking down at the food that was suddenly shoved under his nose.

Phantom looked down at the dish, poking it hesitantly. It looked odd, but he had somehow expected it to move. He was relieved when it didn't and seeing the tall woman eating a plate of the same stuff gave him the confidence to try it. It was meaty and chewy, and had an odd bitter thing on top, but was overall good. He wondered what it was, but found that he was far too hungry to care anyway, and the meal quickly disappeared.

"Was it enjoyable?" Pandora's voice snapped Phantom out of his musings.

"Yes. I liked it," heresponded, sending a bright smile to the woman. A pudgy green man came a moment later, and cleared the table of all it's soiled dishes before leaving right through the wall. Phantom stared at the spot the man had disappeared scrunching up his nose in confusion, before jumping to his feet and heading over to investigate the wall. In his hurry, he tripped catching his forehead on the corner of the table but paid it no mind, instead, he kept going until he placed his hand on the stone. It didn't give way.

Phantom puffed out his cheeks as he stared at the wall like it had personally offended him, only to jump back a moment later as the man's head poked through the wall. "Would you two care for dessert? Or will that be all this evening?" he asked, while Phantom jumped back, falling on his behind with an indignant squawk, much to the amusement of both adults.

"Don't hurt yourself further now..." Pandora said somewhat awkwardly, eyeing the small bit of ectoplasm that pooled onto the boy's forehead. If the boy hadn't whined about the injury, she wouldn't fuss over it.

The child stared up at the man glaring before heading back to the wall and poking as near to the man's half-submerged body as he could. "How?" he asked amazed.

"It's merely intangibility child," the man stated confused, as though it was the most obvious thing.

Phantom pushed harder on the wall as though he could simply force himself through it. Pandora laughed at the display before answering the man's earlier question. "No I believe we are good for tonight, thank you," she dismissed. "Do not worry child, all things in time." She chuckled when Danny still hadn't given up his pressing at the wall.

"He'll teach me how to do that?" Phantom asked eagerly, his wide eyes sparkling in excitement and wonder.

Pandora smiled. "Of course. Once you are strong enough, I will." Phantom pouted before coming back to the table and giving out a yawn. "You need to rest little one."

"No... I'm not tired," he argued back, lip coming out further. There was too much to explore! He couldn't possibly sleep. He yawned again as his body seemed to think otherwise.

"It is alright child. You will be safe here. And in the morning perhaps we can explore more if that is what you wish," Pandora said softly. Phantom frowned.

How do adults always do that, know what he's thinking? "But-" another yawn cuts off the boy "Okay..." he conceded.

"Come here child I can at least offer you placement here until you are strong enough on your own." With that, Pandora picked up the small boy once again before walking straight through the wall with him in tow. Phantom blinked. Was that why he couldn't figure out what was happening the last time she was carrying him? Four walls later and they arrived at a decorative door.

This time, however, the tall woman opted to open the door normally. He blinked confused, but didn't want to speak on that, his mind was reeling from something else she had said. "Can't I stay here with you? Forever?" he asks confused as he's placed into the bed.

"We'll see. You are not of Greek Mythos, or a ghost of one from this era, and most wish to be with their own kind," She responded. "It has nothing to do with you in particular, simply to how that is the nature of things here."

Phantom nodded in response though still not understanding. As Pandora moves to leave the room Phantom's weary and fear-filled voice catches her attention once more. "Stay?"

The warrior blinked a few times at the child who was now nervously crunching up the blankets. She gives a small smile before nodding and heading back to sit at the end of the child's bed. Feeling the weight shift Phantom looked up at her sending her a thankful grin before allowing himself to lay down fully.

As his breathing evened out and Pandora was once again getting up to leave a bright flash caught her attention. She watched in fascination at first before realizing just what was happening.

Blue white rings washed over the boy changing his appearance from that of the phantom her warriors had rescued to a mere human boy. This wouldn't be weird in itself, as many ghosts had the ability to hide or shift their appearance, but no, what caught her attention was the cut on his forehead.

The ectoplasm that dried there, had changed with the boy. "Blood?" She gently touched the small wound feeling it's warmth, its much more liquid yet still somewhat sticky texture, and it's iron scent. It was real blood, human blood. "You're... You are a halfa!" she gasped out. Gently she pulled back the blanket to examine the boy further.

It was as if he had an entire palette shift. As the boy went to roll over something crinkled and poked out of his jumpsuit's pocket. Gently she moved the boy's arm and pulled at what appeared to be a piece of white paper. The drawing the boy had done moments before his death in the rocket stared back at her. What caught her attention more then anything was the one labelled 'me' with 'Danny' right below the figure with the scribbled black hair.

"Danny, hm?" She hummed placing the picture back where she found it carefully, so as not to wake the boy. She wouldn't want to take anything from him after all. Still, this development was cause for both concern and celebration. Ever since Plasmius came to be, the elders of the realms have been on edge, especially after some of the stunts he had pulled in a vain attempt to gain power.

With one final look at the boy, she swiftly exited the room, making note of where it was before zooming out at top speed to locate one of her most trusted guards. The first one she found that fell into this category was Jupiter, who, Pandora found standing guard by the main chambers. His armour a gleaming gold, which was in great contrast to his green skin.

When Jupiter saw Pandora's face he immediately tensed sensing her urgency. "What do you require my lady?"

"Sharp as always," she said simply. Instead of speaking she tilted her head sharply, and the silent command was not lost on the old wizened warrior, as he instantly fell into a close flight behind his leader. When they arrived at the door that the newly discovered halfa was sleeping behind, Pandora was quick to explain her concerns.

"And that is why I need you to watch him," she finished her tale. "I will need to call council with the other elders on this matter, but for now our first priority is to make sure the boy is safe. If I can get word to Lord Frostbite of The Far Frozen, we may be able to make use of his technologies and have ways to better hide the boy from any who would wish to use him."

Jupiter nodded sharply. "Aye, my Lady. I will make sure the boy does not leave and none other then I will attend to him until you return."

"None below your rank shall ever know of this. The fewer who have knowledge in this matter, the safer for us all." She agreed. "I will be back as quickly as I can once I have word from Lord Frostbite." She nodded to the guard as she turned to leave. Jupiter in turn, dipped his head with hand crossed over his heart in a salute.

"May the winds of fortune blow at your back, my lady."

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A/N Thank you to everyone who took an interest in this story so far! My update goal is set to twice a month and I hope I'll be able to keep that up! As always reviews are appreciated!


	3. Taking Flight

**A/N: ****The key to flying is throwing yourself at the ground and learning to miss.**

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**Rara Animis**

**Chapter 3**

**Taking Flight**

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"Greetings Lady Pandora! To what do we owe the pleasure?" Frostbite asked upon entering the icy hall the four-armed woman had been waiting in.

"Lord Frostbite," she greeted with a curt nod. "I bring news of great importance, and ask for your assistance in a grave matter."

Frostbite tensed up as he took in her clipped tone. "What has happened, my friend?" he asked, as a growl rumbled in the back of his throat in worry.

Pandora eyed the guards at the halls entrance, turning her silent question back to the yeti. With his nod, she continued. "My warriors have found a new halfa, a babe," she said simply.

Frostbite blinked eyes going wide before nodding. "I see..." he murmured out darkly, "and you think this may be the one?" Pandora nodded knowing what the other was alluding to instantly. "Then I see this is signs of dark times ahead, but also cause for celebration. What is it you need of me?"

"You have technologies and studies into cores that I can never hope to understand. We need to hide the boy," She crossed one set of her arms over her chest as she let out a grave sigh. "You have, no doubt, felt the ripples of unrest with those of the King's followers. Many now know of the prophecy depicting the Dark Pariah's return, and I worry that if the boy's status were to get out while he's still vulnerable..." She let her words hang, not much else needed to be said.

Frostbite hummed in response while giving a sombre nod. "It would bring a dark time indeed. What did you have in mind?"

"The only reason I noticed the boy's status was due to the fact I was with him when he fell into slumber, and thus lost his ghostly aura, making him human. I fear this may not be a controllable thing."

"You wish for me to build a technology to keep the boy in spectral form?" Frostbite guessed, eyes sparkling with mirth. At the woman's nod, the yeti ghost laughed. "Of course! I have been looking into halfa physiology for a while now. We know much from observing Plasmius, and I may already have something that may help. If it does not work, bring the boy here and I can figure something else out, my friend."

Pandora gave a rare smile to The Far Frozen's leader hearing his good news.

Frostbite turned to his guard before giving a quick command, which the warrior quickly moved to follow, exiting the hall. He returned a moment later with a thin gold and green armband, though for the boy it would be more of a necklace. The warrior presented the gift to Pandora with a usual wolfish smile.

It was a simple design, a gold band with a green stripe in the centre running the length of the band with a looping S shape at the front which held a green gem embedded in the gold. The thickness wasn't too bad, perhaps that of an average human's smallest finger. Pandora smiled as she looked back to her long-time friend. If she and her people were going to protect the boy it's style will blend in perfectly with the jewellery that they wore.

"It is simple in design and execution. Absorbing ambient energies, and storing it within the stone. So long as the boy radiates his own aura, with his own energy, it will be dormant. Once his energy runs dry it will supply a base amount to keep his aura, kick-starting his energy recovery," Frostbite explained.

"Thank you, Lord Frostbite," Pandora said as she took the band.

"Although I do have a request of my own." Frostbite's voice snapped the tall warrior out of her gramercy.* "If this is a sign that the revival is indeed going to come to pass, I wish to help train the boy to be battle-ready." He says simply.

Pandora sighed before nodding. "You and yours are most formidable warriors."

"Matched only by your own." Frostbite agreed. "Together we can shape the boy, make sure he is ready for the upcoming trial that will fall onto him."

"You are wise as always, Lord Frostbite. I shall bring the boy here for training as soon as he is beyond the basics, so long as this gadget works as you intend it."

"Then it is agreed."

"Thank you lord Frostbite, I shall send word of his progress as things develop," Pandora says placing her right arms across her chest saluting the other leader.

"May you have safe travels, Lady Pandora."

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"Welcome back, M'Lady," Jupiter greeted upon seeing Pandora return. "The child has barely stirred in the time you've left."

"That is good to hear. Thank you, Jupiter." She nodded giving the guard her dismissal. "I'll take it from here."

Jupiter saluted before disappearing through the wall and Pandora entered the room where the young boy still slumbered. Though she had only been away a few hours, she needed to give this to him as soon as possible. She sat on the bed beside the boy who was now sleeping on his side, and she gently moved to brush back his black hair.

"Phantom, I apologize for having to wake you, but I have a gift." Pandora cooed gently to the child.

Phantom flinched as her cold skin made contact, and slowly opened his bright blue eyes blinking them blearily. "A gift?" he asks rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand and pushing himself to a sitting position.

"Yes. If you'll allow me to. I'll put it on for you." Pandora said gently.

"M'kay" He mumbled out, with half-lidded eyes barely seeming to register the band Pandora held out to him.

Without waiting for him to finish looking at it she squeezed the band allowing it to fully open before clasping it around his tiny neck. She hit the small button under the gem and the band resized to fit like a choker perfectly, The green gem hanging just below where his Adam's apple would be, but above his collar bone. It glowed softly for a second, as it seemed to take whatever readings it needed from its host before suddenly a bright blue-white ring sprung forth from the child's waist.

Phantom let out a small squeak of surprise as the light raced over his head. His now bright green glowing eyes, stared up confused at Pandora. "What was that?" he asked, suddenly a bit more awake as he looked himself over. Seeing nothing out of place he stared up at the woman with a renewed sleepy pout.

"Do not worry about it. Alright?" she soothed brushing his now snowy white hair back from his forehead. "We will speak more in the morning."

"I guess..." he said around a new yawn, seemingly once again too tired to put up more of an argument. So instead of asking more questions, he moved his hand up to poke at his new accessory fumbling with it a bit, as though trying to figure it out.

"No, no. You need to keep that on," Pandora soothed, wrapping one of her hands around his and gently guiding them away from the necklace, while another hand moves to brush back his hair. "I'll tell you whatever it is you wish to know later, but for now, just try to relax alright?"

"But what's it do?" he muttered out leaning into the cool soothing touch of the tall woman.

"It's to protect you." She stated simply, as she gently guided the boy back to lay down once again. He muttered something unintelligible as he fell back asleep almost instantly. Pandora waited a few minutes, waiting for the light rings to appear. When they remained dormant she sighed. "I just hope you will be ready once fate takes hold of you young one..."

With mixed feelings, she stood up to leave the room, checking back over her shoulder once more before exiting. She still needed to call a meeting with the elder's council on the matter of the newest halfa in their realms.

Phantom awoke the next morning with a yawn and a stretch. Immediately he felt off when he looked about the green and gold room, feeling it should be blue instead. He rolled over to bury his face into the pillow not really wanting to get up yet, only to hear a crinkling noise as he did, like a candy wrapper. At least that is what his still sleep fuzzed brain decided upon.

His interest peaked, he pushed himself back to look at the mattress pouting upon his discovery that there was not a sweet treat he was laying on. He scrunched up his nose as he looked about for the source of the noise poking he mattress hoping to get it to make the crinkling sound again. With a huff, he pushed himself over and jumped off the bed onto the ground. It was then he noticed something poking out of his jumpsuit's pocket.

He carefully pulled it out and looked at the crinkled piece of glowing black paper with great interest. He opened it up and grinned brightly upon seeing the drawing. He even had a vague memory of drawing this! The red rocket and the girl with the blue hair and even his own scribbled white hair! He knew this was his!

"Danny!" he chirped excitedly. That sounded right! Perfectly so! He hugged the drawing to his chest as the name clicked into place, cementing it into his mind.

He was so elated with his discovery that he didn't notice when he left the ground and began floating up towards the ceiling. It was only when he smacked his head that he realized how high up he was. He let out a scared yelp, dropped his drawing and watched in dismay as it fluttered to the ground with a grace that served to mock him a moment later when he plummeted back to the floor.

He whimpered softly in fear scooting away from the paper, afraid that if he were to touch it again, something else would happen to him. It wasn't as though the fall had hurt really, but it was still scary.

"Are you alright child?" A guard asked after a moment. "I heard the commotion..." he blinked down at Phantom in confusion.

"I flied... and then I fell..." Phantom sniffed out, his confusion and fear causing tears to form in the corners of his eyes.

"You flew?" the guard asked. "And so soon after forming! That is quite a feat. Perhaps we should move to train you sooner then we had thought," he grinned proudly.

"Training?" Phantom asked, blinking back his tears in light of the man's proud smile.

"Yes, Lady Pandora assigned me to watch you in her stead while she is away. My name is Jupiter," he introduced himself. "Lady Pandora had said you expressed interest in intangibility, but perhaps we should start with flight, hm? Well, that is, after breakfast of course," he said before moving to pick the child up in his upper arms, his lower set moving his spear out of the way.

Phantom simply blinked, staring at Jupiter's face, not fully understanding what he was going on about. He was, however, able to hone into one thing in particular.

"Food! Yes please!" he chirps.

Jupiter laughed at the child's exuberance. "Alright, come on then. We shall get you to the dining hall."

Once they had eaten, Jupiter brought Phantom to the training grounds to show him around and go over some of the basics with him. Phantom found it hard to keep his attention on the lesson, zoning out after about five minutes. Phantom kept up his daydreaming for the better portion of the explanation on how his energy worked, that is until the man gave a demonstration.

Phantom's eyes went wide as Jupiter flicked into invisibility. The elder ghost took a few steps to his left and reappeared with a bright grin, amused with how amazed the child was over such a simple display.

"With the extension of your core's energy over your form, you can change your being to be able to push through otherwise solid items," he explained, before moving to walk through a crate, his form taking on a semi-transparent look. "And of course if you push your energy into the air around yourself, you can become airborne!" he smiled as he floated upwards and slowly circled the child.

Phantom's eyes went wide as he watched the ghost circle around him. It was like the glowing man was in orbit! Suddenly he wanted to fly again and his core hummed in response to his wishes, as he wobbled up off the ground. Phantom fell forwards as if he had tripped but didn't hit the dirt. Instead, he began somersaulting end over end in the air.

Jupiter laughed. "Good effort, young one!" he congratulated with a bright grin, pushing Phantom back upright before stabilizing him in the air. "To move forward you have to imagine yourself as an arrow. Fan your energy in that shape in the direction you wish to move," he explained, moving to grab a broken spear tip for emphasis. As he moved about he pointed the tip to the direction he was going to head to.

Jupiter moved over to Phantom, who had fallen out of his airborne state, and handed the child the green-tinted metallic spear tip. The child took it with a slight pout starting to form on his face. Phantom stared at it blankly a moment before moving it about and thrusting his arm out as though he could control his flight with the spear tip like a remote. When it didn't work he stared up at the guard with the most lost look the ancient ghost had ever seen.

"It's not working," he complained, his bottom lip coming out further, as he thrust the spear tip away from himself, holding it out to the guard.

"The arrow shape was an example, not the method to make it work," Jupiter explained with a small chuckle. "Remember how you got off the ground before? Do that again, but imagine yourself like that tip."

"No."

"No? You do not wish to fly?" Jupiter mused at the child's outburst.

"No..." Came back the awkward response as Phantom brought the spear tip back towards himself.

"Do not be discouraged. You have no time limit to get this perfected. You will not get it your first try, and the only reason I can make it look effortless is because I have had lots of practice." Jupiter had not had too much experience with children so young before, but he had trained many ghosts in his time, and many guards in life. He was nothing if not a patient man.

It took most of the day, but Phantom was finally starting to get a feel for flying. Well, it was more like slowly hovering and chugging forward with random bursts of speed, but it was more progress then Jupiter had expected the child to make, given how short a time he had been a ghost. Things seemed to be going well, so of course, something had to go wrong.

Phantom was focusing on moving over to the training dummy like he had been instructed, so he pushed all his energy out and within a few seconds, he had smacked into the dummy like he was trying to tackle it. Phantom grunted and fell to the ground, and within a second he was wailing at the top of his lungs on the ground.

Smacking into the dummy was not what had started it, no, that hadn't hurt too badly... However, when he saw his legs had suddenly fused together into a snake-like tail... Well, that was the cause of his alarm. Jupiter watched in mild amusement as the child flailed about on the ground kicking his tail in the air and squawking indignantly as it waved of its own accord and turning to mist near the tail tip.

"Relax, young one!" Jupiter called after realizing Phantom actually was in distress, and not simply being dramatic. "Focus your energy to reform your legs."

Phantom let out a whimper but tried to force himself to remember what his legs usually looked like. After a few tries, he was able to get his legs to reform and he let out a sigh of relief upon seeing his usual appendages. "Don't like that," Phantom stated after he calmed down.

"Why did you not? It is a good talent to have. Body manipulation will make you a formidable opponent once you are grown." Jupiter said bending down to pick up the child. "You did well on this bout. Perhaps you need to form a spectral tail to allow yourself stability?"

"That was good?" Phantom blinked. "You like it?"

"Yes, it was a good flight. Your persistence has paid off greatly," Jupiter offered with a proud smile. "We should probably take another break. We do not want to wear out your core."

"I wanna go again!" Phantom insisted trying to squirm out of the guard's hold.

Jupiter chuckled. "It will do no good to keep going until you pass out. You need to pace yourself, little one. Battles are often won by not how hard you hit but by how long you can go."

"Battle?" Phantom tilted his head as he looked up to the guard, eyes shining bright as he tried to process what the older ghost was saying.

"Indeed. I am a warrior, Lady Pandora is a warrior, and, on occasion, warriors go into battle," he explained simply. "It makes her proud when we can stand beside her, and we take pride in our abilities."

Phantom smiled at the thought. Could he make them proud? His core hummed excitedly at the thought of making these people smile happily. Jupiter seemed to smile when he did well at flying practice, so all he had to do was be the best flyer ever! If proud meant happy, he would make everyone so proud of him!

With a determined nod, Phantom managed to wiggle free of the guard's hold, and wobbly floated down to the ground. He stood there a moment as his babysitter sighed. "Fine. One last go, but then we will be taking a break. You need dinner still, and you hardly ate lunch."

"Okay," Phantom relented. The child forced himself to focus, his little tongue poking out of his lips as he pushed himself. A second later he wobbled upwards, and he tried to force his legs to fuse. He glared down at them crossing them together marvelling as they spun about one another like they were entangled ropes, before snapping together as one elongated wispy tail.

"I did it!" Phantom chirped. "Like this?"

"Excellent job!" Jupiter congratulated happily, making Phantom's core flutter happily at the praise and elated tone.

"I agree, wonderfully done!" Pandora called as she floated out onto the training grounds.

"Lady Panda!" Phantom chirped excitedly, his tail twitching as though he were trying to slither through the air to the large woman.

Jupiter let out a rather undignified snort at the new nickname the child had given his leader. Pandora raised a brow and sent a look to silence the man's withering chuckles. It did nothing to wipe the teasing smirk from his face, however, he did have the decency to try to avoid her eyes.

"See!? Look! Are you looking? See what I can do?" Phantom urged. He tried to point at his tail, only to flip over and float there upside-down.

"Yes, I see. Very good, young one," she coos, a bright smile shone towards him, causing the child's own grin to almost outshine his ghostly aura. "You have been busy," she said, after a moment to allow Jupiter to regain his composure.

"Yes, the child learns fast," he agreed. "He seems to have a lot of stamina for one so young, though we haven't been doing much more than flight today."

"Which would be supported a great deal by the airborne ectoplasm," Pandora agreed, moving over to help right the flailing Phantom. Once balanced in the air, the child flashed a bright smile to Pandora and latched onto her, his ghostly tail still squirming about behind him. Pandora couldn't help but ruffle the excited child's hair.

"Did the meeting of elders go well?" Jupiter asked once Phantom calmed down.

"About as well as one could hope, given the new information that has come to light." She sighed, letting her eyes drift to Phantom who had managed to reform his legs and was tightly clinging to her armoured chest plate. "Providence and Aragon were the loudest to protest, but that is to be expected. Frostbite was the loudest in favour, and the rest were mostly neutral on the matter," she explained. "Providence insisted that the council be 'kept in the loop' as it were, over Phantom's training."

"That eyeball likes to be in control as much as he can. For all his power allows him to see, he is amazingly blind," Jupiter said as he exasperatedly shook his head.

"Indeed," Pandora chuckles. Turning her attention to Phantom, she asked, "Shall we get you some dinner little one?"

"Yeah!" he chirped excitedly. As Pandora began to turn away, he began to flail and struggle, however. "Wait! I forgot the fly charm!"

"Fly charm?" Pandora mused, putting the child down before he fell or flew from her grasp.

"Yea! See?" Phantom had darted over to the ground to pick up the broken spearhead Jupiter had been using as an example earlier. Pandora raised a brow and sent a questioning look to her soldier who in turn shrugged. "It helps me fly!" the child explained as though it should be obvious.

"Oh!" Jupiter laughed out. "I was using that broken tip as an example for energy formation, but no matter, you can keep it. In fact, here..." Jupiter hummed as he moved over to the broken weapons pile and pulled out a small green chord that once was a bowstring. He took the spearhead and tied the cord to it before tying it around the child's wrist. "There. Now you can always have it."

"Thank you!" Phantom grinned brightly playing a bit with his 'charm' bracelet.

"Come on little now little one, let's get some dinner." Jupiter grins happily at the child's exuberance. While it was always disheartening to see one so young end up here in the infinite realms, it was also great joy, as children were often purest of heart.

Phantom ran back over to Pandora before lifting his arms demanding to be held. The warrior woman, who was the guardian of some of the greatest evils in the known realms, melted into a puddle as she bent to the will of a child. Jupiter couldn't help the teasing smirk that found it's way to his lips, as his leader turned to head back inside with Phantom.

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***Gramercy:** Used to express surprise or gratitude (based from the french word marci)

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**A/N: Hope you enjoyed reading :) Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts! (Crossposted on A03)**


	4. Rippling Waters

**Rara Animis**

**Chapter 4**

**Rippling Waters**

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"What on earth was so important that you felt the need to pester me constantly for a solid three month period with these messengers of yours?"

"Oh, don't worry, this is of great importance to both of us."

"It better be. You have any idea what I had to turn down to come here?" the larger of the two figures growled.

"Humph. Do not test my patience mongrel. You should feel lucky one such as I even decided to gift you with this knowledge."

"Oh, of _course_, your majesty," the taller ghost's sarcastic tone seemed lost on the smaller figure. "I am curious as to why, exactly, you couldn't charge your messenger with telling me this and instead insisted on doing this in person."

"Simpleton!" A flash of power rolled off the smaller figure "A new halfa has emerged," they spat.

That got the taller figures' attention, as red eyes snapped to the other. "You better not be lying," the larger hissed.

"Please, weaving yarn is beneath me." They waved off the notion with a sharp flick from their wrist.

"Of course," the taller purred. "So, tell me about this new halfa, and how have you found out about this?"

A small huff escaped the shorter. "The foul boy has come under the care of Pandora, on the isle of Eusebia."

"Pandora? In the Asphodel quadrant?" the taller asks while the smaller nods an affirmation. "Then the boy will no doubt be under heavy guard..."

"The abomination needs to be removed from our realm! At least _you_ have the decency to remain with the humans," the shorter huffed. "Regardless, I know you will make every effort to take this cur from our lands."

"Of that, you are correct," the taller hummed out. "Get me a description of the boy, and I will take him into my _care."_

"Good. As of now, I know little, other than the boy is young, and they have named him Phantom. That _woman_ refused to devolve the physical details of the _cumber-ground, but given time, it won't be hard to discern him from her usual muck-spouts," the smaller figure growled with a flippant wave of his hand._

_"I will keep eyes on them as well... I thank you for this information_,_" the larger purred_.

_"So long as you remove that cretin, I will happily divulge information on this matter. Traditions are meant to be upheld! And if the ages-old prophecies ring true... I refuse to bend a knee to that... that..." the shorter figure cut themselves off and hissed, in a very snake-like manner, their own red eyes flaring in anger. They were unable to continue the thought, having become too disgusted by it._

_"You have my word I will," the taller purred, hoping to placate the other before things escalated._

_"Good. I will send you word if I learn of anything new." With one final huff, the smaller figure turned away to leave with a flurry of fabrics._

_The taller rolled their eyes at the other, watching with a sneer as they exited with their nose held in the air. "It seems today has proved lucrative after all..." They muttered to themselves, before they too, turned and left._

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Phantom flew lazy circles around Pandora in the courtyard. They had just finished with breakfast and Pandora had informed the young ghost child that they would be meeting someone special today. Which, of course, meant the youngster was excited and could hardly sit still.

"So, we're meeting your friend?"

"Yes, a very good friend of mine."

"Oh? Will he be my friend too?"

"You'll have to ask him," Pandora chuckled, amused. She gently grabbed the boys ghostly tail and brought him to the ground, stilling his circling flight.

He shot her a sheepish smile before reforming his legs and standing beside her. In the few months he had been here, they had swapped out Phantom's more modern garb for that of a simple blue tunic and black breeches, with leather sandals.

Under the guidance of Pandora and her various solders, Phantom had done well to get a grip on the three base-line powers. Flight was almost second nature to the boy now, as well as forming and reforming his shape around objects and using his ghostly tail. Intangibility was a bit harder, and he was just starting to learn invisibility.

"When's 'e comin'?" The child asked shifting his feet now that they were on the ground.

"Soon," Pandora responded simply, raising a brow.

"How soon?"

Pandora simply sighed and turned her attention to the skies instead. It was only another few minutes before she could see a few flashes of white among the otherwise smoky green horizon. "There," she announced, kneeling to the boys level. She stretched out her arm to easier point out the approaching yeti.

Phantom grinned seeing the approaching white-furred glowing forms, but that elation turned back to excitement when the yeti landed. Wide eyes stare up at the blue and white beastly ghosts. "Whoa!" he chirped.

"Greetings, Lady Pandora, and I assume you are the young Danny Phantom I have been hearing about?" Frostbite asked flashing a friendly, albeit wolfish, grin to the boy.

"Hi," the child responded somewhat shyly, tilting his head as he examined the large yeti ghost. "You're missing an arm."

Pandora shot the child a reprimanding look while Frostbite chuckled. "Indeed. Thank you for noticing. I made this one myself in fact," he said kneeling down to Phantom and showing the child a closer view of his arm.

The ghost child made a face but did not question that, instead opted to ask about a more pressing topic. "Lady Panda says you're comin' to look at me?" he asked green eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"You are correct, little one." Frostbite nodded. "Do you remember ever having gone to a doctor?"

"I dunno."

"That is fine, though perhaps it would be prudent to move ourselves into a more private dwelling?" Frostbite asked as he stood, directing his question towards Pandora.

She nodded. "We can use the boy's bedchamber, if that is to your liking?"

"It will be fine," he said simply. He turned his attention back to Danny with a fanged grin. "Would you care to direct me to where you sleep? I have a... toy for you to play with."

Phantom nodded eagerly, jumping into the air and forming his tail almost instantly. He grabbed Frostbites clawed furry hand and tugged with all the might a ghostly four-year-old can posses. "Come on!" he egged as Frostbite took a lazy flight behind the eager child. "We can colour together!"

The Yeti chuckled as his warriors fell in behind him, drifting like lazy helium balloons. The whole time Phantom's tail rippled furiously as he strained with the effort of pulling the much larger ghost. "You do understand, that you will wear yourself out if you keep that up," Frostbite said as they entered the building where his dwelling was.

"No," Phantom shot, flipping onto his back to stare up at the yeti. "You're just slow!"

Frostbite chuckled. "I suppose you are not wrong there, but alas, patience is something the young lack."

Phantom huffed and released his hold on the white-furred ghost, before sending a puppy-dog pout. He kept the look in place until his bedroom door was in sight, at which point he sped up flying to the door and throwing it open eagerly. "Come on Frosty!" he chirped. At the confused look the yeti gave him he tried again. "Fros...Frosbity?"

"Frost. Bite," Pandora tried stressing the words.

Phantom simply choose to ignore her and continued to fly about the room dumping an assortment of coloured wax crayons on the floor. He sent a grin to the occupants in the room handing Pandora and the one yeti who entered the room a blank piece of parchment. The third yeti had closed them in and was standing guard outside.

"Ah... Thank you?" The yeti solder blinked confused, and sent a lost look to his commander.

"Come now, Snowstorm, you can't possibly have been disarmed by a mere child." Frostbite teased.

The newly named Snowstorm rolled his eyes but kept his good-natured smirk. "I always was a better doctor then a solder." He moved to pull something out of a satchel he had carried with him and hands it to the boy.

It was a small orb about the size of a large marble, rainbow colours swirled within. It had a pure white glow that was brighter than his own, making the marble look even more ethereal. Phantom stared at it perplexed, rolling it around in his hand a bit before blinking up in a silent question to Snowstorm.

"You know how to go intangible correct?" the yeti asked and Phantom nodded in reply. "Pretend you are trying to make that go through your hand." Snowstorm instructed.

Once again the child nodded and set to work building his energy. If he can make it fall through his hand it will make them happy and proud of him. He liked it when Pandora doted on him, telling him what a good job he'd done when showing off his powers. These yeti were her friends, then he would have to impress these new friends too.

It took a moment for him to build but once he did he found himself glaring at the marble, which had started to fluoresce a bright uranium blue. Phantom poured more energy into the marble trying to make it fall through his hand. This only seemed to brighten the glow to more of an icy cyan blue.

Phantom pouted and bit his lip as his energy waned. He could feel the hum in his chest dying out and no matter how much more he pushed, he couldn't bring back his power. He sniffed sadly. He couldn't do it, and he didn't want to look up and see the adults disappointed looks, but he had to be brave...

"Sorry..." he said, his head bowed.

"What for? You did well," Pandora soothed. At her words Phantom looked up to the small group, tears pricking his eyes, but face betraying his confusion.

"Indeed. Not only that, it is convenient! You have an ice core," Frostbite beamed.

They were all smiling at him. He'd done good then? "But it didn't fall through..." Phantom sniffed.

"It was never meant to. It was simply to get you to channel your energy through the orb," Snowstorm supplied. "You did well, and we now know that you will have an affinity for ice," he reiterated.

Phantom screwed up his face and his tears receded as he blinked them away. He tilted his head, looking more like a confused dog than a child. "What?" he said after a minute of silence.

"You will eventually be able to make ice," Frostbite supplied creating a small crystal in his claws and handing it to the child. It looked more like glass then ice, only the cold temperature seeping from it gave away it's true nature.

Phantom's face suddenly split into a wide grin as he turned his sparkling green eyes to the object. He'll be able to learn this?! "Woah! When?!"

"When the time comes you will know," Pandora offered, earning another pout from the boy. "Come on, hop up on the bed here, they still have more to look at."

Phantom's expression dropped, but he eventually complied. After some small prodding (and a bribe of colouring and playing with him later) but they still managed to succeed and got the boy to sit still.

They took his temperature, measured him, weighed him, took an ecto sample, which Phantom cried through and clung to Pandora, and tested a few other things with his core. There was a myriad of machines used, all of which seemed to have some sort of beep or ping while they were in use. The shrill noises hurt his ears but there wasn't anything too bad.

Once everything was done, the yeti even gave Phantom a sugary treat for putting up with all the tests they had for him through the day. Once the candy was devoured, Phantom realized how tired he was, and went down for a nap. All the exertion on his core had caught up to him, and so Pandora took her guests into her meeting room to allow privacy so they could discuss a training regimen for the boy.

"I am glad he has a core we can train between the two of us. I was worried he would have plasma or electric with how frightened of lightning he was, during the giant storm last month," Pandora mused once they had a training plan in place.

Frostbite nodded in agreement before adding," He seems very well behaved for a child so young of human spirit."

"I believe it is his obsession. Mild though it may be..." Snowstorm supplied with a hum of thought.

"You have already processed the results?" Pandora asked.

"No. Merely an observation of the boy. How his core purred under my claw when I gave him positive feedback. How he looked utterly deflated when he'd thought we were disappointed." Snowstorm tapped a claw rhythmically along his arm as he crossed them.

"This is both good and bad news..." Frostbite sighed and sent a frown up to the ceiling.

"Indeed... If someone can earn his trust...He could be easily manipulated..." Pandora shifted her weight from left to right, the only indication she showed that displayed her concern.

"Then we will do well to instill into him a steadfast sense of right and wrong." Frostbite said, finality in his voice. "He is still young and impressionable, and while it may sound wrong to do so, we can, at this current time, push him firmly to our side. If there ever comes a day where he is tested, hopefully, his bonds with us will be strong enough to not sway his decisions in another direction."

Pandora heaved a heavy sigh, as she reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Then it is settled."

"Joint custody of the boy it is then?" Frostbite sent a sly teasing smile to the woman, who in turn rolled her eyes.

"I feel I do not see the humour in light of the seriousness of this situation," she huffed out in mild agitation.

Frostbite simply sent her a wolfish smile, knowing full well only people she respected or cared about could joke with her and not get fried to a crisp. He also knew she was stressed thinking about what was no doubt on the horizon. It was with that in mind he chose his next words carefully.

"We will keep our eye on the restless followers of the Dark king. If we are able, we will sabotage and stall as much as we can to delay their plans as abundantly as possible. We can only hope that when the day comes the boy is ready."

Pandora nodded, her shoulders dropping slightly showing she was at least soothed a little by his words. "Such a terrible burden to place upon the back of one so young."

"And when the time comes you will both have prepared him well and you will have little to worry about," Snowstorm added with his own fanged smile.

"I hope so... Until then, we will begin training him to be a warrior. I will bring the boy to your lands on the eve of the spring solstice," Pandora said.

"Until then, Lady Panda," Frostbite grinned as he exits the room.

Pandora groaned in exasperation pinching the bridge of her nose. "I need to teach that boy to pronounce my name..."

_-..-..-..-_ _-..-..-..-_

Eusebia- referred to as duty to oneself or to gods within ancient Greek connotations

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**A/N: So this is the last of the 'intro' chapters, I know a few have mentioned the pacing feels a bit on the slow side so I'm hoping this is a little better pace-wise... I always have had problems cutting things down lol but I hope you enjoy it, either way, the next chap will be out soon to make it up to you all near the begining of October :) **

**Til then~**

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	5. First encounters

**Rara Animis 5**

**First encounters**

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**A/N: I worked a 55 hour week but I did it! a little more action and a still adorable nerdy Danny coming at you!**

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* * *

"Please, Pandora? I know your busy, but the ecto-clouds are almost completely gone tonight!"

"No. I am not going to let you go on your own-"

"But I can do it on my own; I know the way there. They only ever pass by a few times a year, and it is perfect tonight! Please, Panda~"

The woman groaned pinching the bridge of her nose, she still hated that nick-name. But when she had begun to reminisce about how he was getting older and missed the cute way he'd call her 'Lady Panda', the child had taken to teasing her with it.

"Fine. But you better make sure to have a bushel of fruit brought back," Pandora ordered finally, after a moment of deliberation.

"Pl- Wait really?!" Phantom chirped excitedly.

"Consider it part of your early Death-day present" Pandora waved. "You are almost ten, and I think you will be alright to head out into the fields, just do not leave the Asphodel quadrant."

Danny clearly heard the warning in her tone and knew for a fact if he were to disobey, he'd be cleaning up after the Alicorns for a month. "I promise that I will not leave."

"See to it that you keep that promise." Pandora glared, but after a moment her eyes softened. "You know I still worry."

"You do not have to," he offered with a lopsided grin. "I am almost able to beat Lokhagos now, and she is rather strong."

"Regardless, both you and she have much yet to learn." Pandora sighed before ruffling Phantom's white hair. "Go on. Have fun Danny." She sighed, defeated. "But be safe!" She calls as an afterthought, just as he started to fly away.

Danny gave a quick call of "I will!" before he flew out to grab the bushel backpack to put the fruit he would pick from the Gold Fields in. The golden hill lay just to the North and at a slightly higher altitude than Pandora's lair. It wasn't a terribly long flight. Twenty minutes if you were speeding there, forty if you were going leisurely.

He hummed a small tune to himself as he flew, hardly able to contain his excitement. This was the first time ever that he was allowed out of the lair on his own! Usually, he had a guard of some sort, and was buried beneath and behind the shields of the soldiers, or on longer trips, he was resigned to the covered chariot.

Phantom had been told it was because he was a halfa, although he never fully understood what that meant for him. Whenever he'd asked in the past, his guardians had seemed to be purposefully vague. He merely took it, that because he was raised by Pandora and taught by Frostbite, he subsequently had a chance to govern both lairs if anything something befell them. They were training him to be a leader too after all...

After all, the closest he had received to an actual answer to what being a halfa meant, or at least the most cohesive thing he had been told, was that he was a ghost that had a foot in both worlds. He sent a quick glance back to the lair he'd called home for almost as long as he could remember and gave it a happy smile. Well, that was Pandora's world, much as the Far Frozen is Frostbite's.

He touched down into the golden lawn and looked about casually. He'd go about filling the bushel first and then pick a good spot to watch the migrating blob ghosts go by. They always felt like meteorites, or shooting stars, or at least, how he'd imagined they would be, showering across the horizon. He'd only read about them in books after all, but even still... There was something about it... The way they trickled across the sky, all different shapes and sizes all sort of heading in one direction in a loose cloud rather than an organized flock.

He located an apple tree full of ripe golden apples and set himself to work.

He had asked once if he could go to the human's realm and see the stars for real. Both Pandora and Frostbite had said that he could, once his core was matured. He hummed at the thought.

Ever since he found that ethereal drawing in his pocket and Pandora had borrowed him some books for him on rockets, and space from The Ghost Writer, he'd found his head buzzing with thoughts of stars. The wonders of space, and alternate worlds, it was all fascinating to him.

The Ghost Zone was like space in a way too, he supposed. So many realms with so much to know and how very few ghosts knew the full map. Even then, new things were forming, changing, and ending at any given moment. There was always something new to be discovered, somewhere new to explore.

Finished with his basket, Phantom took it and headed for the top of the highest hill, laying back into the gold grasses. He stared up at the endless sky of the zone watching as the odd purple door, and occasional ethereal cloud drifted lazily by. It would prove to be a good evening for this, with how few objects were in the sky.

Shouldn't be too long now before he could see the first trickle of them enter this quadrant. He grinned excitedly at the thought. Pandora always thought it odd that he was interested in such innocuous things such as this, how he expressed his obsession like this, while Frostbite encouraged it.

An odd noise snapped the child out of his reverie as he turns his head and squints in the direction. He sees it just in the nick of time and takes flight instantly. The rocket follows and once he was far enough away from the golden fields he fired a plasma ray at the thing. It exploded like a firework, raining shrapnel everywhere below him.

Phantom let out a low growl of frustration as he looked about for the perpetrator. At first, he had thought it was maybe Pandora testing him, making sure he was alert and watching his surroundings since this was his first time out... but even though she was a brutal teacher, she would never use live ammunition against him like that. Not to mention the technology didn't match Frostbites 'brand' so to speak, which had weaving blue lines.

No. It was almost entirely silver and glowing green. This was a real threat. "Show yourself, coward!" he called into the silence.

A whistling noise was his reply, and he turned a moment too late to see the net fired at him. He let out a yelp as the thing starts to drag him down. He flailed about hoping to untangle his limbs, and trying in vain to access his powers, as the unforgiving net continued to pull him. He looked to see a shadow in the distance. When it edged closer he could make out the glint of metal on the ghost, as the lighting changed and flashed around them.

The migrating flock of blobs had arrived.

Phantom growled as the metal ghost floated casually forward, while he was still struggling to find a way out of the net's grip. It seemed to have some sort of power dampener on it. The opposing ghost gave a little 'humph' as Phantom fell onto a random chunk of rock with a grunt.

"So, you are the creature Plasmius and that arrogant king have been obsessing over," the metallic ghost boomed out, amused. The light coming off the blobs were reflecting off this ghost, giving him an odd reflective rainbow, and the fiery mane he had as hair cast deep shadows over his eyes.

"Who are you?" Phantom spat with malice. He had to do something to portray more confidence than he was feeling at the moment.

The metal ghost seemed delighted to be asked. "I am Skulker, The Ghost Zone's greatest hunter," he boasted, proudly. "And you, ghost child, have been on my radar for some time now. It is only fitting that I be the one to catch you. It's nice to finally be able to have a proper description of you."

"Well, you see me now!" Phantom spat out. "It will do you well to leave while you have the chance. Unless you wish to face the wrath Pandora herself may bring."

"Ah, but you are alone here, child. You seem to be without your guardian, and by the time they notice you're gone, it'll be far too late." Skulker grinned maliciously as he moved to scoop up the net. "The price on your head is high. A pity really, I'd have much rather kept you in my zoo."

"I am not an exhibit!" Phantom roared out, reaching deep to try and pull the ice from his core.

Skulkers's eyes widened as the child began freezing the net into a brittle mess, shattering it easily and throwing icy shards everywhere. Skulker went in for a punch, landing the blow on Phantom's jaw and knocking him back into the air.

The enraged child recovered quickly and launched forward, knocking into the metal ghost, shoulder checking him back... and right into the oncoming blob ghost migration.

Realizing that the majority of the blobs were now coming, and he was missing the view, Phantom felt his anger surge. However, his mind almost blanked out completely when he saw Skulker fire a plasma blast through the blobs.

The barely sentient creatures let out squeaks of anguish and fear as a good number were obliterated into goop. "You- you ended them..." Phantom gasped out in a mix of horror and anger. "You ended them!" he roared as his core flared.

The blobs sped out of his way giving him a wide birth as he flared his aura in anger. He was told ghosts can have multiple obsessions, minor and major, all can be expressed in varying ways. Often a ghost with only one main obsession will go mad, having nothing else to focus on. A ghost is at their most powerful as well when defending something to do with their obsession, as though the personal attack is what gets the ghostly equivalent of adrenaline going...

And right now, Danny Phantom's two big ones were being threatened at the same time.

Frostbite had constantly told him from day one of their training together, that to be a warrior means to defend those weaker than yourself. That is how one can hold their head proudly, because often times a shield can be more effective than a sword. The yeti always gave him the biggest smiles when he told stories of how he'd used his ice abilities to make trinkets for the younger ghost kids to play with.

Pandora had told him similarly that to fight for others who can not is what makes a warrior strong. Both his guardians wanted him to be strong. They wanted him to protect others and make them proud.

The blobs squawk out again as Skulker flies forward, not caring how many he hurt as he tried to get across them and over to Danny. The blobs that looked like meteorites, the weaker ghosts that were currently crying out in pain.

Phantom launched forward and matched the hunter's blow with his own almost instantly freezing his knife as it lands into his arm. It stung. It bled. But now wasn't the time to worry about that.

Phantom needed to get rid of Skulker quickly or he could hurt more of these innocent ghosts. He could destroy the stars, end their glow, end the life.

It was with these thoughts spinning around in his head that Phantom felt something within change and spark. With the frozen knife still embedded in his flesh, he reached out to Skulker's shoulders holding tight and released the pent up energy.

Bright green flashes of electricity and plasma crackled about the metal ghost's body as he called out in pain and shock. Phantom yelped too, seeing the sparks fly about, though, it was a sort of in a mix of excitement as well as dread. He almost couldn't describe the sensation.

Something on the back of the robotic ghost exploded. Skulker yelled out as he threw Danny away. Both stared each other down, though Skulker seemed to be worse off, despite the knife wound in the child's arm.

"I underestimated you, child," Skulker said simply, his tone mildly impressed. His form seemed to continue to spark, and twitch every so often, even though Danny's influence was now long gone.

"Leave this quadrant. You are not welcomed here." Phantom spat angrily.

Skulker sneered and looked as though he was going to rebuke the child when suddenly, his face changed into one more of fear.

Phantom held firm glowering at the metallic ghost, only barely registering that his opponent was not looking at him, but at something just over his shoulder. Phantom sneered curling a lip sensing a familiar energy behind him, but not daring to turn and look. "Leave," Phantom spat again

"You would do well to listen to the boy." Jupiter's familiar presence was comforting, soothing, familial. It was something that both calmed and caused Phantom's core to flare again even more protectively.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me!" Skulker hissed out before taking off into the green abyss.

Phantom watched his retreating form and let out a tired sigh. "Good riddance."

"You are injured." Jupiter turned to the child with worry written on his face, as he examined him with a critical eye.

"Y-Yea... A little," he admitted rather sheepishly.

Jupiter sighed with a slow shake of his head before in a soothing voice said, "Come on child, let us get you home."

"But the apples... And the blobbies..." Phantom pouted.

The soldier gave the younger ghost a reprimanding look. "I will carry the fruit, but we need to get that," he gestures to Phantom's arm, "and your lip looked over."

"My lip?" Phantom blinked his hands coming up instantly to inspect his face and let out a hiss of pain. "Oh... Split lip?" he asks with a nervous smile.

"And a missing tooth from the looks of it." Jupiter raised a brow and asked, "How do you not notice its absence?"

Phantom looked to the ground a moment awkwardly before his hand came to the back of his neck. His focus shifted to the blob ghosts when he noticed their increased numbers. The creatures seemed to have taken to speeding by as quickly as they could from the fear of the two much more powerful ghosts (comparatively to the blobs) and it was causing their glows to blend together in the flock.

Danny gave a hum of appreciation as he watched them push each other forward. It was like an aurora now, and less like a meteor shower. The sight of the simple pleasure allowed his core to hum happily in his chest as he stared longingly at the display of green, blue, pink, and occasionally other more exotic and rare colours of blob ghost that sped by.

"-to fly or are you in need of assistance?" Jupiter had been talking, and Danny's focus faded back onto the voice offering the older ghost a small smile.

"Sorry, what? I, um, missed that?"

"I asked if you were coming," Jupiter sighed out in exasperation.

Phantom nodded and followed behind the solder. The blobs were trickling off now anyway. He gave a small pout that he'd missed the display, before turning back to follow Jupiter back to the lair.

-..-..-..-

"This is by no means 'being safe' young ghost," Pandora was pissed. Her flames danced and sparked around her. The thing Phantom found odd though, was she wasn't upset at him, well, not really. She turned her attention to Jupiter and spat out a flurry of orders to the, rather bemused, ghost.

"And if he even sets so much as a finger in our quadrant I do not care what you have to do to him to get him to leave, understood?" she finished placing one of her lower arms on her hip while her upper set lay crossed over her chest.

"I'll set a perimeter," Jupiter nodded. Despite the serious tone, and the flaring up Pandora was doing, Jupiter seemed to have a smirk that simply refused to leave his lips.

"Get going then. I know what you are thinking, and if you still want the ability to think it, I suggest you follow orders."

"Right away M'Lady," Jupiter saluted, smirk still in place. He chuckled as he flew off.

Pandora shot a small blast of fire into the skies after him, which he loosely dodged, recognizing the chastising blow for what it was. His teasing of his superior would come back to bite him later, he knew it. He'd be getting a lick of the roughest side of her tongue, but for now, it was simply funny to see Pandora all worked up like this. She really was overprotective of the boy...

Phantom watched the solder fly and winced at the blast that tore up after him. When Pandora finally turned back to him, her eyes softened. "You did well," she said simply and brushed a bit of his hair from his eyes.

Phantom's core purred happily in his chest at the praise. Pandora wasn't usually one for kind words, harsh rebuking was plentiful, however. She gave him a small smile and subtle nod before turning back to the wet cloth she had been using to clean his wounds.

That too made him beam happily, despite the ache in his arm, those affirmations together made him happy. "I did something new as well," Phantom offered.

"Something new? Do tell," Pandora instructed, dabbing away the bits of dried ectoplasm.

"I felt my core pulse out like you had said... with obsessions? And I, um... Zapped him," Phantom said awkwardly, hissing as his cut stung from the ointment that was applied.

"Electricity?" she asked as she tightly wrapped his arm.

"Not really. I mean, it was not as you had described it, but it was more like the plasma was sparking? I think that is how to say it..." Phantom made a scrunched up face as he thought on the matter.

"Well, we will have to see if we can reproduce this on command in training." Pandora stood up rubbing his head gently before dumping the water into the sink of the bathing area they were in. "Open up. Let me see that tooth."

Phantom opened his mouth wide and Pandora gently pushed his lip back to examine it. "Ik ich garg?" Phantom tried to ask.

Pandora sighed and sent him a look for silence. A moment later she released his lip and slid her hand to his cheek. "You will be fine. It looks like one of your fangs may be coming in early now. That is all," she soothed. "I suppose it is lucky you only lost a stubborn milk tooth. The permanent teeth are rather annoying when they grow back."

Phantom nodded idly and licked at the new gap he had. "Think I'll have it by tomorrow?" he asks flashing a lopsided grin.

"The end of the week by the latest," she agreed. "The arm will take two days. It is rather deep, and your lip should be healed by tomorrow afternoon." Pandora lifted the child up into her arms giving him a tight comforting squeeze.

"Thanks for fixing me, Panda"

Pandora sighed and released the boy her soft expression held for a moment before morphing into her usual stony facade. "Now then. Tell me about this Skulker you encountered, what did he say? Tell me as much as you can remember."

And so Phantom recounted everything the other ghost had said and done. Pandora listened quietly only offering nods of acknowledgement as he told the short tale. When he finished Pandora offered him a small stiff nod before closing her eyes in thought.

"This is troubling, but not unforeseen. You were bound to have been seen sooner or later."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked tilting his head slightly.

"Hopefully nothing you need to worry about at this moment," she offered soothingly. "Though I need to get word to Frostbite on this matter. You get to bed. The more you rest the faster you will heal."

Phantom grumbled but didn't argue, he was tired after all.

Pandora watched him go and let out another long and deep sigh. It seemed she'd been doing a lot of that tonight. She stood and moved through the building, to let the guards know that she would be gone for a few hours to the Far Frozen.

"Troubling times are indeed ahead..." She mutters under her breath as she begins her flight.

-..-..-..-

"You showed your hand too soon, Skulker..."

"He was alone, and at my mercy! I-"

"No. This is a setback but not unsalvageable... We simply need to step back. At least you got a clear description of the boy..."

"Does that mean I can still get paid?" Skulker asked hopefully.

"You'll get something for your services." Came the stoic response.

"Most gracious of you Plasmius. Do you still want me to keep an eye out for the boy?" Skulker asked.

"From a distance, yes. You are not to engage the boy again, however. Understood?" Plasmius ordered simply. "From what that beastly prince has told me, Pandora is rather protective of the boy. It will be some time until he is allowed to be on his own again... Once he is, we'll watch for patterns and make our move swiftly and flawlessly, lest the others catch on."

"So I'm back to stalking the boy?" Skulker sighed out. When Plasmius's response was an affirmative nod, the robotic ghost had to bite back a groan. Stalking prey was only fun if the hunter was allowed to pounce...

"Keep me notified of any changes, Skulker. You are dismissed." Plasmius waved off the metallic ghost and turned to head back up to the main floor of his mansion, leaving the hunting ghost alone in his lab with the open portal swirling.

Skulker huffed and rubbed the side of his face tiredly. "This better not take another six years..." he muttered to himself before taking his leave.

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**A/N Please R&R ^^ I hope you enjoyed it**

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	6. A foot in both worlds

**Rara Animis 6**

**A foot in both worlds**

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"Well, it wasn't quite six years..." Skulker groused as he watched the ghostly teen. "Five is still a rather long time to only track prey..."

Ever since Phantom had turned fifteen, the boy had been making the flight between Frostbite's and Pandora's lairs by himself. The pair have put their trust in the boy and his abilities, and as much as Skulker hated to admit it, that trust wasn't misplaced.

The princely brat had grown substantially both in physical size and power. He sported a royal blue tunic cut around mid-thigh, with a black long-sleeved undershirt that showed through. Black, somewhat loose hung trousers, and black leather greave boots. Gleaming silver arm and leg guards spoke of his warrior status with Pandora, while the black with white fur-lined and trimmed cloak, spoke of his time with the Far Frozen.

Ever since Skulker had accosted the boy, Phantom had been seen more and more, and most ghosts and spectres, who didn't hide away in their lairs that is, knew of Pandora's 'little prince'.

"Regal brat..." the hunting ghost observed through his binoculars.

Today though... Today was the day he was going to finally collect his prey. Plasmius had made sure everything would go flawlessly, and the hunter had to agree, it really sounded foolproof. Even if he wasn't going to be the one who ultimately got to keep the prize, he at least could have the satisfaction of finishing it off... capturing the rarity.

He gripped the device in his hand tightly as he watched the boy make his way towards the elemental cross-stone. That was where he would make his move. In order to reach the Far Frozen, one had to circle the outer circumference to the underside, and head through the centre hole and head up.

This cross-stone was one of the few things that were stationary in The Ghost Zone, making it a landmark. This also meant it was something that was predictable in its use, meaning Phantom had to go through this to get to where he was going, with little options outside of using it. Well,unless he wanted to add days to his trip,that is.

All he had to do was get into position, and use this lovely tool Plasmius had given him... a surprise attack, one little prick from the dart... It was almost too simple...

-..-..-..-

Phantom whistled out a soft tune as he flew towards the elemental cross-stone. Its sight meant he was about halfway to the Far Frozen. He smiled brightly as he began to near the stone. He was rather excited, Frostbite had said they would be working on creating the crystal ice this week, which was more difficult to manipulate, but also a harder, and clearer substance. It would be fascinating to be able to make ice look more like blue-tinted glass, as well as try and put this new skill against Pandora's fire and truly see the durability...

Yes, that sounded nice... Pandora... Panda was so nice to test things with him... Since when had he been falling? Or was he drifting? Hm... The stone is spinning? It shouldn't do that...

No... No, wait...

It was just him.

As Phantom's world lurched and spun, the teen could just barely hear a voice speak to him. It sounded underwater and far away, yet tickled his ear like it was right next to it. "Too easy," it purred out.

Moments later he felt like he had folded in half on top of something hard, being pulled along. He blinked slowly eyes half-lidded and suddenly the stone was barely the size of his thumb. He blinked again, and the stone was gone completely, and it looked like he was somewhere deep within The Barrens, from what little his muddied brain could gather, that is... That wasn't good...

The third blink rewarded him with a new location entirely. Cold steel reflected under his nose as he groggily came too. He pressed a hand to his head and groaned, peeking out of his half-open eye through a barrier into the world beyond. More metal met his gaze along with machines that looked so much less advanced than anything he was used to from the Far Frozen.

Even the air felt off here... "What... Where...?" He trailed off as his eyes catch sight of the spinning mass of green. A portal? A stable one at that…. But how? Did that mean he was somewhere in the physical realms? Was that why the air felt thin?

"Ah, it seems you've awoken."

Phantom snapped his eyes to the speaker instantly and frowned. Grey hair tied back a pressed suit and cold steel-blue eyes, (what was with all the steel around here?) and a pompous air of superiority. The teen frowned and tilted his head slightly as he appraised this... human? No, a human guise he realized, once he focused on him. "And whom am I addressing?"

"Vlad Masters, my dear boy." The man's low tone made him sound as though he was trying to soothe a crying child. With his hands clasped firmly behind his back he strolled forward, chest puffed confidently.

Phantom kept a suspicious eye to the man as he moved to stand in front of his cage, the teen's upper lip curling into a sneer. "Considering I am in here, am I safe to assume I need not bother with introductions?"

"Smart lad," Vlad replied simply. "But I would expect no less from a fellow halfa," he purred out with a charming smile that felt too slimy for Phantom.

Once the man's words gestured in the teen's muddied brain however his sneer deepened, as he flashed his fangs, as well as his eyes. Halfa. That was something he was told he was, sure, but he was also told few people should know about his being so. It was dangerous information, and so if this man knew...

"How," Phantom snapped at him. It wasn't a question but a demand.

"Ah, good. I was concerned you wouldn't know of your own status boy," Vlad purred his wicked smile widening. "Oh, do not worry, I know of this simply due to the fact that we are of the same breed."

"Same breed?" Phantom asked confusion now taking over his expression as his sneer lessened. "You said _fellow_ halfa... What do you mean?" In what way did this man share his status? And what did it really mean to him... to them?

"Of course, surely you can sense it, no?"

"I know you are not what you seem, if that is what you are implying."

"True, but that is the curse of the halfa is it not? Stuck in a world between?" Vlad said, as though trying to placate him.

"I do not share the feeling," Danny huffed, crossing his arms with a frown. Both Pandora and Frostbite were wonderful guardians and he never felt stuck between them.

"Surely you have felt it brewing within your core boy? A bubbling indignation of something beneath? Or can you not sense how your own core grows faster than others of your age? How different your energy feels to them?" Vlad adopted a stricken look. "We are outcasts, my child, always on the outside looking in, never truly a part of them, and always on the sidelines until we're needed. We are like mere novelties to them." He motioned to the portal

"But you and me together? We can understand one another's plight. There are things I can teach you that your current watchers can not. Show you things only another creature like yourself can truly master. You could be my son," he crooned.

The man's eyes seemed to shine with hidden light, and Phantom didn't like the undertones hidden in loneliness and desperation. "Why should I trust the one who sent another to capture me? One who doesn't share the work themselves shall see no glory in the work of others."

Vlad's face dropped and morphed to a sneer before his body changed dropping his human guise in favour of his true form, with a flourish of black rings.

"And?" Phantom raised a brow unsure how he was expected to react to the "reveal". He had seen plenty of other ghosts who could disguise their form into that of a human.

"You… you don't know do you…? not truly anyway." The vampire ghost shook his head before pulling out a box-like metal device with two sparking prongs on the end. He approached with an excited glint in his eye. "Allow me to show you, my dear boy," he cooed before opening the cage door and casually strolling in.

Phantom tensed and tried to ready a blast of plasma, only to find his core almost completely drained. "Wha…?" he all but growled out as he jumped back to avoid the device Vlad was holding. The electricity jumped between the prongs, making the young ghost gulp. He hated lightning and everything that came along with it...

"It seems you're still feeling the effects of the drug. Fascinating isn't it? How a disconnect between core and body can be created? And as such, you're left defenceless." Vlad grinned as he talked down to Phantom.

"Powerless is not defenceless!" Phantom growled as he leaned back and away from the device as Vlad stabbed it forward.

"But if one has no power while your opponent has all of it, things are swayed quite easily," Vlad growled before grinning as Phantom let out a howl of pain. "Of course it is only if you can use that power effectively," Vlad's clone cooed from behind.

Phantom tried to pull away from the white-hot fire of electricity that blasted through him, but his muscles had seized, no longer responding to his command. His form curled, back tense, when abruptly, a sound like glass cracking filled his ears along with his screams. He felt the choker on his neck loosen suddenly, the one he was told to never take off…

A bright flash filled his vision behind his tightly squinted eyes, and at last, the pain eased. He fell to the floor and lay in a heap of writhing and twitching pain. "Hmm… Now, this is interesting…." Vlad hummed out as blackness filled the teen's vision once more. He had a fleeting thought about how warm he felt before nothing.

-..-..-..-..-

Phantom blinked awake again, hating the way his head pounded with a steady thumping throb… Actually… He placed a hand to his core and let out a little gasp, breath caught in his throat. Wait breath? He only needed to take in air every so often or to talk, but why was his body… He furrowed his brow suddenly realizing he was on a plush surface and in a different room then the lab he had woken in before.

He coughed, forcing his attention back inward in confusion. Right… keep the breathing thing going.

He quickly gave himself a once over and instantly noticed the change of clothes. A pair of black slacks with a smooth texture and a white button-up shirt with a light feel. His greave boots had been replaced with sleek black shoes, left by the bedside table.

What had happened to the clothes he was wearing? Had that man replaced them while he was unconscious? "Ugh… Don't think too hard on that…" he shuddered at the fleeting thought that crossed his mind. "Creep..." he huffed out.

He carefully pulled himself off the bed and put on the shoes in the room, his whole body ached and his core… he stopped mid-loop in his shoe tying. His core… "I...I can't feel it?!" he gasped out frantically scrabbling at his chest.

The hum was gone, replaced by a steady ka-thump that pulsed in time with his head. "What did he do to me?!" the teen whispered fearfully. His eyes darted around the room hoping to gain some sort of context but came up empty, apart from a travelling cloak that looked almost like his own, but with... reversed colours? He approached it and shook his head trying to calm his frayed nerves, the ka-thump in his chest picking up pace, as did his breathing.

He stared down at his pale (too pale, too pale!) pinkish (the colour was wrong, wrong, wrong!) hands as he reached for the cloak. It felt the same as his… but it was still wrong, wrong, wrong! He felt warm still, too… too hot! Wasn't it? He should be… shouldn't he? This wasn't right! None of this was right!

He quickly placed the cloak around his shoulders, before dashing towards the door. He fell to the ground with a crash as he rebounded from the force. "Phase-proof?" He groaned, rubbing his sore nose, before shifting to glare at the wooden exit.

No, not phase proof… he just simply hadn't turned intangible, his foggy panicked brain managed to supply. His core was so far out of energy it was non-existent at the moment… That had to be it right? But if that was true shouldn't he have had his form absorbed into it? Turned into nothing more than a pebble of sorts? Exposed. His very being on display for all to see?

He shook his head again, not liking that train of thought. For whatever that creepy psycho did to him, he was thankful it wasn't that, at least… Small positives, that was what you were supposed to do when in a bad situation, right? It certainly didn't bring any sort of comfort, though…

With a small huff, he closed his eyes to once again try to calm himself, taking deep lungfuls of air, letting his instincts guide him. Feeling a little better his eyes snapped open and he moved over to examine the wooden door. His eye caught movement off to the side and he jumped back to face the figure, albeit awkwardly. (since when did he feel so heavy?)

He stared into the blue eyes of his opponent for a moment before blinking watching in wonder as it copied the actions he made. "A-A mirror?" He gulped moving closer to examine it.

He looked into the full body length mirror, mouth open as he examined himself, stumbling forward on autopilot to have a closer look. He too had a colour swap, it seemed. White to black hair, just like his cloak, green eyes to blue, and green-tinted skin to a more pink and pale shade. At least his fangs still seemed to be there… even if they were much less pronounced now.

_"You don't know do you?"_ Vlad's voice echoed into his head as he stared at himself. A memory of the man revealing his ghost's form from the human guise… A guise that was far more convincing than it should have been… Almost perfect due to the fact it had human needs and physiology, but with a ghostly feel...

A hand came up to clutch his core- his beating heart where his core should be. It was there… it was real, just like how warm he was feeling. Humans had a high temperature, after all, right?

This… This is what a halfa was? A foot in both worlds indeed...

Danny started to shake a bit, hugging himself with the cloak. His mind raced as his eyes roamed over his reflection finally settling on the cracked jewel in the choker necklace he was given so long ago. A spiderweb pattern frayed out from the center of the slightly glowing gem and as Danny brought his fingers to the jewel he could feel the energy it was trying and failing to contain within.

He stepped back unable to keep eye contact with himself. This couldn't be right, could it? The children he used to play with when he was little all did comment on how he grew so fast… did-did this have something to do with it? He was mimicking a human growth pattern? If that was the case then…

A noise came from outside the room and the teen hissed out a curse as he tried, and failed, to turn invisible. He set his jaw, clenching his fists as he braced into a defensive stance. And sure enough, as soon as the door opened, revealing the smug Vlad, Danny bolted forward tackling the man around the middle.

Vlad let out a yell of surprise as he was caught off guard from the shoulder to his gut, knocking him back and consequently down the stairs. With that Danny ran sneering as he saw the man right himself and gracefully float to the ground as the teen bolted past along the upper ledge. The man glared and suddenly was a ghost once more.

"Now, now. Is that any way to repay my hospitality?" he chastised, flying up to try to cut Danny off.

Muscles screamed in protest as Danny grabbed the railing on the balcony ledge and threw himself over it, rolling forward as he hit the ground below. "Huh.. never thought I would have a use for ol' Frostbites more physical lessons…" he mused aloud as he headed towards the nearest doorway. He headed for the next door and skidded to a halt, shoes squeaking, as he fought his built momentum and turned to head down an adjacent hallway.

Danny weaved, dodged and jumped as clones of Vlad started cutting him off and turning him back into a waiting group of others with waiting grins. Vlad had the upper hand, fully and absolutely, and he knew it. Danny didn't need the smug grin the man wore to tell him that. Danny panted as he ran, an odd sensation to say the least and it accompanied the burning in his chest as he gulped in large volumes of air.

"What's the matter, boy? Not used to being confined in the physical plane?" Vlad teased popping up in front once again. Danny rolled to the side to dodge him, springing up and kept moving, all in one fluid motion.

This place was a maze! And Vlad was enjoying the chase, that was obvious. Danny hissed as he pulled in between a pair of bookshelves in a library and held his breath. He watched with some slight satisfaction as four Vlads flew by every which way. He waited there a bit regaining some of his energy though every time he saw a new Vlad, the frown on his blue face seemed to deepen.

At least he'd managed to give the creep the slip for now. He could feel the pulsing energy beneath his feet of the portal. He had to get back to that lab and get home... He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, hoping to feel where the other ghost was, a sense he had worked tirelessly to develop...

Although… Danny's eyes snapped open and he glared at the book that was directly in front of his nose for no other reason then he needed a target for his ire. He couldn't feel anything that would help to indicate the other's location. The portal was overpowering it, great, that is if he even had any power for the ability to sense the subtle ecto-signatures anymore in the first place. He frowned at that thought.

Stealth was never his strong suit, but by ancients, he had to try. It was with this thought in mind that the teen bolted as silently as he could from his temporary hiding spot and headed to where he could feel the portal the strongest. With a frown, he looked about the area trying to gain some sort of clue as to where he should be headed.

"Ah, there you are my boy," Vlad's voice purred over his shoulder. "If you're done with this little game of yours I would like to make you an offer."

Danny jumped and whirled around into the defensive. He decided to humour the man and so he asked. "Is that so?" He kept his defensive position but tried to make his words to sound curious, and forced himself not to sneer.

Vlad smiled showing off his own set of fangs. "But of course, why wouldn't I want to offer to share a kinship with the only other creature like me in existence? I can teach you things your current guardians can only dream of," he cooed

"Like what? Pandora and Frostbite are two of the best warriors of the realms, what could you possibly have over them?" he asked once again feigning interest.

"Plenty. Most notably, how to _live_ amongst humans."

That gave the teen pause. "Live among them? How do they not notice?"

"Humans are ignorant to several things, my dear boy, however; Phantom is not a name that is befitting a human. Perhaps we could choose you a new one?"

"No, I quite like my name," Danny shot back with a glare.

"A human named human would be just as uncreative," Vlad huffed with a roll of his eyes.

Danny sneered back, civilities be damned. He'd use his arrogance against him, petty revenge or otherwise. "Like you are one to talk… And for the record? I decline. Creep."

"Why you-?! I don't think you understand how this works boy! This wasn't a request!" Vlad growled out and lunged, hands charged with ecto-energy. Danny jumped back from the attack only to be tackled from above and intangibly thrown through the floor by a clone. "It's a demand!"

Danny blinked as the lower floor crashed into his already sore back causing him to let out a hiss of pain. So that plan hadn't worked out the best… Danny barely managed to roll away as the angered Vlad set loose another burst aiming for his chest.

His muscles screamed in protest as he dodged another blast only to get a punch in the gut. Danny coiled inward gasping as the air was forced from his lungs.

He took a second to notice they were back in the lab, the swirling portal only a little bit away now, it was surely within reach… Danny raised his head grimacing up at the elder halfa who's fury was barely contained by the fire in his eyes.

"I will tell you again boy. Join me," he hissed through gritted teeth pink energy gathering around his shaking fists.

"Get thrown in oblivion, you creep!" Danny spat back with a wheeze.

Vlad's eyes narrowed and he launched forward again. Danny prepares for another gut punch only to have his cry of pain cut short by the crushing of his windpipe and the burning of his flesh.

Not good, not good! He needed a way out of this crazed ghost's grasp, and soon! He didn't want to imagine what else this guy would do to him if he was knocked out again…

Danny claws feebly at the strong locked arms of the elder with one hand while he feels about behind him with the other. Feeling something solid, but unsure what it is he quickly brings it down on Vlad's head. The reaction was instant and as Plasmius backs away, Danny gulps in greedy lungfuls of air.

The elder hybrid lets out a scream of agony as he gets zapped by the very machine he'd used on Danny earlier. With a grunt and a weak ray of plasma, the device explodes just as dark purple-black fiery rings appear at the man's waist. He falls to his knees glaring at the teen.

"What… what did you say about power? Well… I believe I have just evened out the odds, hmm?" Danny huffed as he spoke wincing as he pulled up the cloak to hide the ugly purple and red bruise and burn on his neck, in a perfect imprint of Vlad's hands on his throat.

"Well played little badger…" Vlad panted, trying to stand up to regain some semblance of dignity, and failing.

"Once again I refuse… Fruitloop…" Danny grimaced as he trudged his way to the portal. The teen gave one last sneer to Vlad before jumping through… and immediately he regretted his decision, as he began falling, having forgotten that he could no longer fly.

Danny flailed about before smacking into a rock and collapsing onto it. He rolled flat onto his back with all the grace of a drunken toddler and stared up at the swirling green sky panting.

Everything was hurting and he could feel the throb of his heart everywhere as a result. From wiggling his toes to blinking, every move caused a new twinge of pain to ripple through him, and yet… he laughed.

"Pandora was right… I am still a fledge…" he managed out with a self-deprecating smile.

He laid like that for a while, unsure how much time passed, but when Vlad hadn't continued to pursue him, he didn't feel the need to move. This was a far more, and different, tired than he had ever felt during training, that much was certain.

With a grunt, he heaved himself into a sitting position and looked around. Still in the barrens at least, but with his core as good as gone he couldn't sense where he needed to go.

He hauled himself to aching feet and jumped to a larger rock that his current one was passing. He grunts again as he lands feeling his knees knock, but unable to force himself to roll.

Now heading in a, hopefully, upward trajectory, the teen looks out again hoping to catch sight of… well .. anything that could serve as a landmark.

Of course not. Just abyss… and rocks. "The barrens are truly an apt name," he sighed out.

Eyes once again rove the landscape as he hears an odd whirring sound, and it was getting louder. Definitely mechanical, that much was certain as the sound builds closer, closer… he moved into a defensive stance ready to try and flee somehow, or fight if necessary.

Danny narrows his eyes at the shape nearing him. It was one he recognized after all…

-..-..-..-..-

-..-..-..-..-

**Cross-posted on AO3 **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter ^^ Things are being set into motion now. Any guesses as to who Danny saw at the end there? **

**Also shout-out of thanks to my beta: FiveRivers!And Please R&R **


	7. To Be Human

**Rara Animis  
**

**To be Human**

**-..-..-..-**

A/N: Sorry this one took a while, work has been hectic. Ended up with 58 hours last week and barely had time to myself to write. Hope everyone took some time for remembrance day yesterday. and with that said here we go! 

**-..-..-..-**

Danny frowned as the shape nears him. He closed his eyes and readied himself for the encounter. With a deep breath, and schooled features he waved his arms, forcing his face to remain neutral when Johnny 13 swerved into his direction stopping just short of his toes.

"Whoa there little dude, this ain't no place for a punk kid," the greasy teen said with his usual sickly smile.

"Yes, I am aware," Danny said flatly, trying his best to hold back his sarcastic tone. At the very least Johnny seemed to recognize him with the punk kid comment. "I was hoping I could request assistance from you and your…" Danny waved his hand trying to remember the name of the device the other ghost rode about on, "...contraption," he settled upon. "I'm not exactly able to fly at the moment."

"You want a ride?" Johnny asked with a sceptical brow.

"Just back home, I doubt it's too far."

"Yea, not too bad," Johnny seemed to agree.

With a sigh, Danny noticed the look he was being given. "What do you need from me?" he asked, resigned.

"Hey! You're a smart kid!" The biker flashed a toothy smile. "And it's simple see? I need you and your material butt to help me grab something, ya dig?"

"I need to dig?"

"No…" Johnny made an odd face before shaking his head. "Listen brat, just grab the thing I point out to ya alright?"

"Why can you not simply grab it yourself?" Danny asked quirking a brow, assessing the other ghost.

"Hey, relax there shrimpy." Danny glared lightly at the insult to his height. "It's just behind this ecto-proof barrier, so I just need your hands ya get me? It's on the way anyhow, so deal?"

"Fine. It is a better option then floating about on this stupid rock," Danny sighed out. He moved to the back of the contraption when Johnny motioned to do so and tried not to make any startled noises when the motorbike growled to life and took off into the air.

There was a good stretch of silence before Johnny called out, "so what's a human like you doing in the zone?"

"You can blame Plasmius for my current displacement," Danny grumbled out.

"Whoo! Tough luck man, That guy is messed up! What'd ya do to get on his radar?"

"I exist apparently." Danny shuddered as they passed through a portal once again bringing them to the human's material realm. "Is this for your… item?"

"Yeah man, Just right there see that tube with the mini dish thing on it? Just grab that. Your arm'll just go right through that barrier," Johnny said motioning with his chin to the glowing box on the counter.

"Right…" Danny muttered to himself as he hopped off the bike and slowly approached the device. Quick as he could, he jammed his arm through, grabbed the device, and clutched it to his chest. He blinked a few times before letting out a relieved laugh. It didn't hurt! He did it! He went through the energy barrier! He was relieved, doubting his body could handle much more abuse.

"Com'on kid pack it in. We gotta get outta here." Johnny hissed.

Danny nodded. He was getting an odd vibe from this place anyway… maybe it was because he had barely escaped from Vlad's lab only a little while ago and a lot of what was in this one was far too similar, right down to the contained portal. The portal that seemed to mock and taunt him somehow, yet was almost _too_ alluring.

"Kid reel it in!" the older teen snapped, causing Danny to startle and shake his head.

"R-Right, sorry. Just...never mind." Danny shook his head and climbed back on the back of the bike with Johnny, handing him the device as he did. "Right, just head back in The Realms and-"

"Woah, no way little dude. I ain't takin' ya back in there," the blonde scoffed, shaking his head and flying straight through the wall and into the night sky.

"What do you mean? What are you doing? You said you would take me home!"

"Not if Plasmius is after ya, he'll have home-field advantage in there, and I ain't about to pick a fight with him. I'm a brawler sure, but I ain't stupid. Don't care what time period you fell outta, kid, or even if the portal that got you into The Realms is still there, but least you're home enough in the material realm right?"

"What? No! I live with Pa-"

"Yea, don't care kid. Not happening. Just try not to die of culture shock, or somethin'. Wouldn't want to see you back _too_ soon ya know?" Johnny snickered. "I ain't throwin' down with Plasmius so you're getting thrown down instead, get it?" The teen's eyes glowed as he clutched his ringed hand into a fist.

"Shadow!" he called as the bike suddenly pitched skyward. Danny let out a yelp as the shadowy bad luck ghost appeared in front of him suddenly and shoved his chest harshly, causing Danny to fall backwards and towards the ground.

Danny flailed about desperately trying to tug his core to allow himself flight, but to no avail. He let out a gasping yell as he fell only to suddenly have the world spin go dark then spin the other way. Shadow had caught him, rolling him up within his form like a rug, easing him lower to the ground, before unwinding and dropping him into an undignified heap onto the grass.

Danny coughed, before rolling onto his back and glaring up into the sky where he could just barely make out the shining trail from thirteen. "Thanks a lot," he ground out sarcastically.

The deep black-grey-clouded sky was an interesting change to be sure though… With a silver-white moon just barely having its light seep through the covering.

He laid there a minute, (how many times today has he been thrown on his back?) allowing his bruised ribs a chance to have the pain subside, and admiring the moon's pale visage. Deep, steadying breaths enter his aching chest,causing him to become hyper-aware of the scent of this area, as well as the need to fill the organ with oxygen.

He closes his eyes trying to calm the, his, furiously beating heart. Yet another thing he wasn't used to. The pounding in his ears was creating a wash of noise that seemed to drown out… he pulled his focus to the running water he could just hear, trying to keep his attention away from the thump, thump, thumping in his ears.

Running water was good. Water meant people, which meant directions. Although he was still out of luck with his powers, meaning even if he knew the right building to head into, there was no guarantee he would be able to waltz in.

He cursed himself under his breath for not getting a better look at where they were coming from when he had the chance. With a groan, he pulls himself into a sitting position and looks off into the direction of the water.

A fountain?

Well, that at least meant he was in some sort of city centre, right? Humans did that kind of stuff too, after all, and as ghosts came into the Zone, those same ideas were applied. With a grunt the teen hauled himself to his feet and made his way over to the object of his attention, gently rubbing at his sore ribs as he did.

"If I wasn't already dead my lack of healing would kill me…" he muttered to himself as he plops back down on the fountain's edge.

He peers into the clear water watching his haggard reflection. He did look human… still a dead one, granted, especially after everything he'd been through, but still much more alive than he'd ever thought possible. He glared at the reflection as if trying to will himself back to normal, before dragging a hand down the side of his face.

"Oh wow…" He laughed bitterly as his hand reached his still tender neck. Pulling away the cloak revealed two perfect hand-prints from Vlad himself when he'd attempted to strangle him, marking his skin a deep purple, blue and brown.

Jeez, even his bruises couldn't be normal. He bunched the cloak back up hiding the sore tissue once again behind the yeti fur-lined trim.

The halfa let out another long-suffering sigh, before releasing a yawn he'd been fighting back for some time. He eyes a bench just a little further away from the fountain and pinches the bridge of his nose in dismay. Anything is a bed when you have nowhere proper to lay he supposed.

He practically collapsed on its wooden surface upon reaching it. He bunched up the hood of his cloak for a pillow and cocooned within the thick and heavy fabric. He stared at the fountain for all of five seconds before his eyes slid shut to allow his tired and battered body its rest.

With what felt like a blink of time later, the sore teen found himself being roused by a heavy hand on his shoulder. "...kid? Come on kid, I don't got all day"

Not recognizing the voice, his instincts kick in, causing him to jump up and launch over the backside of the bench before taking a defensive stance as he eyed the newcomer. The dark-skinned man raised a brow as he sized up the teen right back.

He didn't look like too much of a threat. He could see the man's physique a bit under the uniform he wore, but Danny was still rather confident that he could outrun the elder man if it came to it.

Weary blue eyes search a fern green as the man spoke again, seemingly resigned. "There wasn't an attack at the school today, so what are you doin' out here kid? You don't look like the type I normally catch playing hooky."

"Hooky?" Danny tilts his head in confusion before a bit of understanding crossed his face. This human was clearly wearing some sort of uniform so he must be like the warriors for the village. He is an outsider here after all. This fleeting thought causes his whole demeanour to shift from defensive to apologetic.

The man sighed. "I'm not in a mood to play games all right? Just tell me where you live so we can get this done as soon as possible."

"Oh, but that is part of the problem, I am not yet familiar with my surroundings. I did not think that being here was an issue. It was where I was deposited last night, and after everything, I… Er..." Danny stopped mid-sentence as he took in the odd expression the human was giving him. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, not really, just, um, you said you were new in town, right?"

"Yes, just last night in fact. Do you know how I might return to the Asphodel quadrant?"

"Where on earth is that supposed to be?" the man asked as he screwed up his face in confusion.

"Oh no, not at all actually. You see, that in fact, is the problem. I can not yet fly again so it is rather hard to find my location from this grounded angle as-"

The officer didn't let him finish. "Alright smart ass, that's enough. Look we'll keep it simple alright? You're too well-kempt to be homeless, so ya just got lost then? You look about thirteen-fourteen-"

"-Actually"

"So you should be in Casper High, since it's the only one in town."

"Is that the punishment for trespassing here?"

"Yea sure, you can call it that... " the man mused with a smirk before moving around the bench to lay his hand on Danny's cloaked shoulders. The teen winced from the contact but otherwise made no move to pull away.

"Is it a trial by combat?" the teen asked genuinely curious, eyeing the menagerie of tools attached to the man's waist, as he was given a gentle nudge to begin walking. He certainly hoped not, while the sleep did him good, he was no where near where he'd like to be as far as battling went.

The officer let out a chuckle. "Depends on whether you make yourself a target or not. What's your name kid?"

"Ah! Apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. Most call me Phantom," Danny spoke with an apologetic bow of his head.

"Right, and what do your parents call ya? I ain't much for nicknames," the officer said steering the teen towards the park's edge.

"Parents?" he blinked and tilted his head. "I am not sure what they intended to call me, but my caretakers' call me Danny on occasion."

The man's face softened hearing that. "Foster then? Or still filtering through? Jumping from place to place?"

"I travel back and forth between locations regularly if that is what you mean," Danny offered, confused at the sudden change in tone.

"I know that can be hard… Is that why you went with Phantom as a nickname? Just ghosting through place after place? You seem like the type to make a joke like that, am I right?" the man asked stopping at a white, black, and blue car which the teen eyed wearily.

"I suppose that would be accurate also." He was an actual phantom after all… it was something that just sort of stuck, he never really wanted to change it. Besides, there were way worse names that other ghosts have taken.

The officer let out a small hum in acknowledgement before motioning to the door to the vehicle. "You gunna get in, or would you rather walk the mile? Or maybe you've just never been in the front of a cop car before?"

"I- What?" Danny blinked, he knew the man was teasing him, but about what, he wasn't sure. He gave his head a shake, before pulling on the handle.

With the door opened, the officer circled around to the driver's side, plunking down and staring at him blankly. "Well? Sit down. I don't want to be out here all day, Danny."

"Right, sorry," Danny said before copying the officer's movements, even pulling the strap across his chest.

The man rolls his eyes before reaching for the radio at the front of the console, pressing a few buttons, causing it to beep. "This is Officer Grey reporting in, found a kid skipping out while on patrol, just gotta swing by Casper to drop 'em off"

"Roger, Roger!" Came a chipper female voice in response.

Grey hung the piece back in place before starting the vehicle, to which Danny flinched at the sudden cacophony of loud noises. "Ah sorry, forgot I had that turned up, but A good song came on…"

Danny just nodded hating how nervous he was. He'd been in contraptions like this before with frostbite, but they were never enclosed like this unless they were going out into the Zone's open skies, and even then it was only covered by a cloth of some sort, and not to mention how he could usually phase through things. It felt rather claustrophobic.

The trip was spent with minor small talk to witch the teen was only able to answer half the questions asked. It wasn't until they got closer to the downtown core that anything really of interest happened. A loud bang was heard off to the side and Danny could see a large silver vehicle, with a large emblazoned flaming F, racing down the street heading towards the crossroads they were approaching.

The officer groaned seeing it before winding down his window to poke his head out. He stared up towards the sky before pulling back in with a deep sigh.

"What is this about?" Danny asked motioning to the large truck as it whizzed by in front of them.

"Nothing new. The Fentons are chasing that blasted Box ghost again." Grey said with another sigh.

"Box ghost? Wh-"

"Yea, yea. New comer I get it. I know 'ghosts shouldn't exist' but I got news for ya kid they run rampant here in Amity."

"No, what is he doing here and how?" If he could find the way Boxy came in maybe he could find the way back to that stable portal! He could get back home!

"No clue, just know that they do. Something about here having an increased rate of portals made due to the high concentration of ectoplasm? I don't really pay attention to the explanations of much more than the weapons, so I know how to shoot them." Danny winced hearing that. "The ghosts here are nothing but pests. They destroy everything they come in contact with. Far as most of us are concerned the only good ghost is a non-existing one," he huffed with finality.

Danny winced at the venom in the tone, some of Vlad's words spinning back in his head. "I understand Boxy is a nuisance, but that is no reason to end his existence…" he tried, but ended up trailing off at the deadpanned look he was given.

"These terrors are a plague to the town! If we didn't have the Fentons tracking them down I don't know where we'd be. I doubt I would have been able to get this job if they didn't vouch for me when ghosts invaded and destroyed the lab I used to work at." Grey said,` eyeing the green blast that was shot off from the RV into the sky, igniting the Box Ghost like a firework.

Danny flinched again as he watched the annoying spectre drop like a rock. "What do they do with those they capture?" Danny asked rather solemnly.

"No clue kid." Officer Grey shrugged. "But I'm sure if you asked them they would tell you easily enough. The hard part is that they don't stop talking once you get them started."

Danny watched, trying to suppress a shiver as he saw a large man clad in orange exit the RV and suck up the box ghost into some tube looking device, with a clear-ish cylindrical end, before returning into the vehicle. That looked uncomfortable…

"Huh… The vacuum cleaner looking thing is new…" The officer comments as the light turned green. The man sends a glance out of the corner of his eye to the teen taking in the concern written on his face. "Don't worry, they're eccentric nuts but they're mostly harmless."

Danny could only offer a lacklustre smile to the man. Note to self the Fentons are to be avoided…

As they pass by the RV Danny manages to take a better look at the pair of hunters, something sparked in the back of his brain as he saw them. He allowed his eyes to roam their forms before concluding it must be something with the way they were dressed. Their gloves looked similar to the ones Plasmius wore, so maybe he saw some sort of suit like that when he was fleeing from the man?

It almost hurt to think too hard on...

It wasn't long after that encounter they pulled up to the simple brown brick building. It was rather odd to the teen how the land of the dead seemed to have so much more life in the buildings and the people than the land of the living. Almost every person they passed who was outside seemed mad about something, and all the buildings were some form of drab greys, browns or reds. It was nothing like the vibrance and rainbow gambit of neons he was used to.

"So this is it then?" Danny asked rather unimpressed, as he eyed the sign depicting a black bird and labelling the place as 'Casper Highschool.'

"Yep, I'll bring you into the office and then let the staff take you from there," the officer said unbuckling himself and exiting the car, prompting Danny to copy him. The man moved around and placed his and on the teen's shoulder, raising a suspicious brow at the wince, and steered him towards the entrance to the school.

The few students who had a spare or were out in the field for Gym watched and whispered as the strange teen was brought inside by the officer. Danny eyed the collection of humans warily. There were maybe thirty or so scattered about the area, but it was still far more than he had ever seen in his entire after-life.

He blinked as he heard a few girls whispering about his clothing and giggling, something about coming from money and power due to his dress? Odd, but not really wrong, well about the power part anyway… He brushes it off as he is continued to be marched forward.

It was only two turns later that they arrived at the glass doors to the school's office. "Ah Damon, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The secretary smiled pleasantly, tucking a bit of her mousy brown hair behind her ear. She sends a glance to Danny with a raised brow, "You are?"

"The reason I'm here Ms. Roe." Officer Grey said simply. "A new student, who wasn't aware this state has a school enforcement law."

"Ah, so, registration then?" she stated more than asked, moving to grab the paperwork for Danny. "Just need some ID kid."

Danny blinked in confusion "ID?"

"Yea, you got a licence? Birth certificate? Any of that kind of stuff on you?" Danny shook his head, and the woman sighed.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. I still have to finish my patrol," Officer Grey said, sending a smile to the woman. He leans closer to her and says softly, "he's a foster so I doubt he'll have much…" He smiles before louder stating "I'll see you around," he tipped his hat to her as he left.

"Right... " She sighed, sending Danny a deflated look, to which the teen offered a nervous smile. Danny knew well enough that it would be in his interest to try and make friends with his current jailers, they hadn't attacked him outright yet, and if he could keep it that way it would be better, given his current powerlessness.

The woman sighed and handed him a paper to fill in, along with a bright blue pen. "Here's a pen. Please return it when you're done. Everyone always steals my pens," she grumbled.

Danny frowned but nodded, and moved to a nearby table with a plastic chair to fill the form out. So far this whole system seemed… odd. Was this standard practice for outsiders? He took the pen in hand and got to work.

Name: Danny

Date of birth:

Danny frowned at that he honestly didn't know instead he just wrote down when Pandora had said he was found.

The next bit was what tripped him up the most. Medical issues? Previous schools? Parent's names, and emergency contacts?

He frowned down at the page before sending a lost look to the secretary. "Just do what you can," she offered with a flat look. "Can I at least get your name so I can try and pull your files?"

"Danny."

"Danny...?"

"Yes?" The teen raised a confused brow.

"Danny what."

"Er, I also go by Phantom?" He offered.

"Is that your last name? What's your legal last name," she huffed in exasperation.

Danny blinked unsure. He didn't know he would need a new human name as well… although now that he thought about the matter, the humans he had met so far have had two names… Officer Grey, Miss Roe, even that weirdo Vlad Masters. Perhaps he could adopt a name from his mentors? That would work, right? Well, Pandora was female so that may be odd, so perhaps Frostbite?

"Frost?" Danny offered up the name and the woman nodded seeming to accept the answer. Well, might as well make it official. He scribbled Frost next to Danny with a shrug. He would take this punishment like a warrior, strong and proud, even if humans were odd in how they do things.

The woman groaned and stared at the computer's screen with an annoyed frown. "Either I can't access your file, or I can't find yours among the others…What was the name of your last school?" Danny gave her a blank look, causing her to sigh again. "Whatever. You done what you can?" Danny looked to his still mostly empty sheet and nodded handing it back.

"Right… This is why we make the adults do this…" she groused before commanding more loudly to Danny, "go stand over there and I'll get you your student card." Danny looked to the blank portion of the wall and nodded moving as instructed. "Stare here…" She added pointing to a cream coloured plastic rectangle, and a moment later a flash blinded him.

Danny reacted instantly dropping down behind the table and looking back at the wall for what she'd thrown or launched at him. Seeing nothing embedded he looked back to the woman, who seemed to have shifted her attention back to the screen and completely ignoring the display of reflexes from Danny. The teen looked himself over, seeing nothing amiss and opted to simply frown at the plastic rectangle.

"And done. Enjoy your crappy student ID picture," she said flatly, though her amused smile spoke more than her words, as she handed the plastic card to him. "Make sure that stays with you at all times, 'kay? If you don't you'll not be having an easy time of it."

Danny took it with confusion, but upon seeing his picture on the card, and the information he figured it must be a tracking device of some sort. Humans couldn't exactly track one another by energy levels, so perhaps they invented this to do it for them. He took the secretary's words for the underlying threat he assumed they were. 'Keep this on you or else,' right… card important. He fiddled with it a moment trying not to stare at his own foreign face in the corner before tucking the plastic away in a pocket in his pants.

"Alright, just let me see if the principal is free and she'll take you from here. For now, we'll have to just stick you in the mandatory classes, until we can pull your file." Mrs. Roe said before heading into the large wooden door off to the side labelled 'Principal Ishiyama.' A minute later the woman returned and nodded. "Just go right in," she said.

Danny obliged cautiously poking his head in and examining the woman who was already in motion. "Yes, yes, come on then." She said waving him over. "Here. this is for you." She said offering him a notebook and a pencil. "I was given a note stating you wouldn't have anything on you when you came," she mused watching his bewildered expression.

"A note? How though? I did not even know I was going to be here until this morning…" Danny tilted his head spying a piece of parchment paper on the desk, but what almost got his beating heart to stop was the slightly glowing CW in the corner, imprinted so only ghostly eyes could see. oh … that explained that… But Clockwork? The ghost of time was a supposed myth….

Apparently not...

"-To show you around then?" The principal finished snapping Danny out of his internal crisis.

"Oh, um… yes?"

"Typical teen. Doesn't listen to a word we say," she sighed out in exasperation. "Come on then, I'll show you the layout and then you can figure out your classes from there."

Danny followed the principal out of the office taking the offered schedule from the secretary as they pass and continuing on the tour. The school was shaped in a giant blocky eight that was pretty much the same on the upper floor save a few things. The doors were numbered making it relatively easy to figure out where you were going visually, though that was most likely because humans really didn't have much else to rely on.

Apparently, this place was to teach people 'his age' things, and Danny was sure he would have simply left this place altogether (human consequences be damned) if not for the note with the CW, and the principal handing him the writing book. It meant he was supposed to stay, to follow through with this whole thing… Whatever it was following through within here entailed.

After all, Clockwork wouldn't have left that there for him to see like he had if he wasn't meant to see it...

Of that much he knew, meaning that regardless of how much he hated it, he would see this school day to the end.

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**AN: Well there you have it, the first look at the Fentons and Danny being thrust into a human teenage life. Wonder how long that'll last :D Please R&R I 'd love to hear your thoughts!**

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	8. Teen Troubles

**A/N: Man oh Man. work kicked my ass these last few weeks (longest run was 56 hours) so yea there's that. But I still managed to get this out! Sorry it's a little on the late side but I hope you enjoy!**

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Rara Animis 8  
Teen Troubles

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Danny wasn't sure how long this tour of this Casper High was supposed to last as he followed the principal around the halls. The woman was drawling on, explaining the classes, general locations of the school, as well as policies and the like, (Danny had tuned a good portion out, more interested in the wall hangings) but mercifully they came to a stop in front of one of the many doors. "So here will be your first class for now, since you missed the first period," she explained before knocking twice and entering the class.

All eyes in the room snapped to the woman before shifting to Danny as he peered in past the door frame warily. He was waved in by the pot-bellied teacher after he hesitated a bit too long.

"-And remember my door is always open." The principal had been talking to him again, and he had been too busy staring off into the class to notice. Danny nodded and offered his best 'trying not to look nervous' smile while the woman took her leave.

With everyone staring at him, it was like when he participated in the Junior Colosseum matches in the ghostly Pantheon. This time though, he wouldn't be able to turn invisible or tap out if he got too overwhelmed...

"Right, Daniel Frost, was it?" the teacher drawled, taking him in, while Danny himself tried to hide within his cloak.

"Danny"

"Right... Well, take a seat. There's some empty desks near the back or here at the front." The man responded with a wave of his hand.

Danny scanned the classroom before his eyes landed on an empty desk near the back corner. It was a good strategic position, as far as he could tell. Nothing but a wall behind him, and he could see everything in front. He met eyes with the human who would be sitting to his left, the one who'd taken up the proper corner, and gave him a little nod of greeting and acknowledgement.

He was skittish looking, thin, with a red hat, large glasses, green eyes and dark skin. The teen blinked a few times confused as his eyes met Danny's before offering a nervous smile in response. Danny nodded again curtly in acceptance before making his way to the open desk.

The other teen seemed nervous and he frowned as Danny approached. Startled green eyes darted about before meeting back up with blue only a second before a small bit of laughter was heard, distracting the pair.

"-expensively dressed though."

"Looks scrawny to me," a teen in a red jacket whispered back, none too quietly, to another in a similar jacket.

"Nerd definitely," another supplied with a nod.

"Better teach 'em quick to know his place, or see if he is at least B list material."

Danny tilted his head confused as he passed by them. Their eyes wide and curious but with something almost malicious in nature behind them. It didn't take him long to see why, as one of the red jacket wearing teens had stuck out their leg and tried to trip him.

Danny's arms pinwheeled a bit before he managed to right himself, swapping his feet around to keep his balance, none too graceful, but not the worst recovery he'd had either. "Pardon," Danny said simply, trying to reel back his sneer of contempt, and stepped over the still outstretched leg, continuing along his way.

The jocks, who had started snickering as though they had done some great prank, halted almost instantly upon watching him recover. The silence met was unnerving to all but the dark-haired teen it was directed at.

What was the point behind that action? If he hadn't righted himself, he would have fallen, but then what? Would they have pinned him? Was this a normalcy? Perhaps a 'new prisoner initiation' sort of affair?

"Twinkle toes…."

"He still don't look like much…"

"Hey newbie, you play somethin'?" A blonde in a red jacket asked tilting his head to look over his nose at Danny.

"Play? Do you mean theatre? Or are you asking about swordplay? Of that, I am rather adept." Danny responded similarly tilting his head.

The blonde scoffed. "Drama nerd, figures."

"I do not believe I can follow the line of questions, to your apparent conclusion…" Danny said tactically, enjoying how the other stared at him in apparent confusion.

"Heh, totally called it…" Another chuckled pressing his elbow into the side of the blonde.

The blonde jock sneered at Danny and growled out, "We'll learn ya at lunch, dweeb."

Danny opened his mouth to retort only to snap it shut as the teacher spoke, ending the jock's 'fun.' "Mister Frost please hurry to your seat. Unless you'd be interested in spending your first day here with me after the school day in detention."

Danny frowned at the threat, confused by it more than anything, but obliged nonetheless sliding into the seat beside the kid with the red hat, who was still eyeing him with a mix of curiosity and worry. As soon as Lancer turned back to the board to scribble down some notes for them to copy the other teen leaned towards Danny.

"Dude, do you know who you just made an enemy of?" he asked, voice straining in a hoarse whisper. Danny's eyebrow raising was all the response he gave. "Dash Baxter, he's like the king of our grade."

"He is a royal?" Danny asked in an equally quiet tone. "He hardly seems like a tactician."

"Yea, dumb as a sack of flour, but will wail on you if you cross him. Watch your back dude, you're on his radar now."

Danny blinked in confusion. "Wail? He wishes to scream like a small child at me?"

The other teen snorted, face twisting as he tried to hide his laughter. "Dude, what?" he managed with only a small snicker. "I mean yes, but mostly you'll come away with a black eye."

"It is pointless to pick a fight with one that has no interest in fighting back," Danny responded eyeing a small bruise on the other teen's cheek. This wiry teen before him hardly seemed like a fighter, what was the point of fighting those weaker then you when words could brand much more loyalty for a king?

The teen rolls his green eyes with a scoff. "Ya think? Don't stop them though. By the way, name's Tucker Foley, that's 'T-F' as in Too Fine," he announced with a bright grin and a finger gun. He posed a moment longer before wiggling his thumb and clicking his tongue, intimating the firing of a gun, obviously expecting something from Danny in return.

"I am Danny"

"What? Really? Nothing about my killer catchphrase, dude?" Tucker pouted.

Danny shrugged offering a small smirk. Really, what could he say? He'd seen worse. Ghosts were the epitome of eccentrics after all, not to mention the multitude of ghosts who feel the need to announce their presence as loudly and as long-winded as possible.

One does not know true pain until they meet a ghost who's obsession is that of an oversharing town crier, well, at least in Danny's opinion.

"Mister Foley, can you please read what is on the overhead?" Lancer's sharp voice cut through the other teen like a knife causing him to shudder.

"Um, I mean…. I can. Not good, but sure?" Tucker offers with a mix of a grin and a grimace as he prattles off the Latin words and how they relate to the origins of modern English words.

Danny made a face as his new acquaintance butchered the pronunciation of the Latin. Well, he wasn't lying about not being good at reading it… Lancer seemed to have a similar thought as well from the look he was giving.

The section read, Lancer sighed before he went on to assign the readings, and congregations, for the night's homework only barely managing to get out the page numbers as the bell rung, causing the kids in the room to flee.

"What's your next class dude? Or you got lunch?" Tucker asked as he closed his book and stuffed it into his bag.

"My- oh?" he follows the other's gaze to the piece of paper on the desk. "Ah, it's in the cafeteria then I go to the gymnasium?" Danny responded simply, blinking. "After that… I do not seem to understand these codes here, but the numbers should not be hard to locate."

"Lunch then gym? Same," Tucker said. He watched Danny a moment before he nodded, seemingly have come to a conclusion. "I'll show ya the way. Geeks gotta stick together, right?"

"Geek? or... Yes, I was raised Greek..." the halfa mused before shaking his head when Tucker shot him an odd look. "Well regardless, shall I follow behind your lead or walk alongside you?"

"Dude, what? Why are you talking like a D-N-D character? Kudos for your bravery I guess, but ya don't gotta keep it going," Tucker said absently, as he threw his backpack over his shoulder.

"I have no idea to what you are referring to…"

"Right... You gunning for the school cryptid then?" At Danny's blank stare, Tucker sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come on dude, I'm just chirping ya," he offered moving to exit the classroom, Danny following still confused, in his wake.

Danny glanced up to the ceiling with a pleading look. He now understood why ghosts often stuck with those who had died in a close era to themselves and didn't often migrate to new places. This human's words seemed to be plowing over him. How much of it was slang and how much was simply an item, or reference he had no knowledge of?

Danny sighed and decided to play it safe, and follow along behind the other teen. "Clockwork had better have a good reason for keeping me here… " He muttered under his breath as he exited the class. "OW!" Danny yelped as soon as he passed the threshold rubbing his head and looking about.

"Ah, bad luck man. That bit of tile went straight for ya. They really need to repair faster after the attacks…" Tucker supplied pointing to the bit of broken tile a little bit behind him. Danny looked back up at the ceiling with a frown. Right, don't chastise the all-knowing being aloud then…

As they passed through the large red doors leading into the lunchroom Danny immediately was blasted with noise. The large collection of teenagers all chattering at once was deafening when confined to such a small space. He grimaced but continued to follow Tucker to a table near the back of the room.

With a loud huff, Tucker plopped himself down in the plastic chair and dug out a lunch bag. Upon checking its contents, a grin spread across his face. "Roast beef sandwich, score." Tucker pulls out the item and takes a large bite before staring across the table to his new friend. "You not eating?"

"I did not bring any food," Danny admits.

"Sucks, man. I'd recommend skipping the cafeteria stuff too."

"I-"

"Hey losers!"

"What do you want Dash?" Tucker huffed out pulling his sandwich towards his chest as though to protect it.

"Simple. The new loser needs to know his place."

Danny tilts his head at the blonde jock amused, and flashes the group behind him a slight shit-eating grin. "Oh? Do you not know we are in the cafeteria then? My apologies, I had not realized you were blind," Danny said.

"You gettin' smart with me?" Dash moved to close the distance between them and loomed down on the smaller teen.

Danny's smile grew and without skipping a beat said, "Sorry, you need I dumb it down for you, then?"

"Why you…. You wanna say that again?" The jock growled out, making a grab for the fluffy lining of Danny's cloak.

The smaller teen easily dodged backwards out of the blonde's grasp. Dash blinked stupidly a moment, disbelieving that Danny evaded him.

"You know," Danny said with a slight raise of his head, "if you wish to issue a challenge of combat, I will be happy to settle... whatever this is, within the arena. Though, I would like to know to which ends I have seemingly offended you to warrant this response?"

Dash blinked and screwed up his face in confusion, while Tucker snorted into his hand to stifle a laugh. He had, at some point, scarfed down his meal, but the crumbs stuck to his lips sprayed free as he tried in vain to hide his amusement.

"What are you laughing at Foley" Dash spat changing to the easier target. He swiftly caught the scrawny nerd in a firm grip by the front of his mustard yellow shirt and hoisted the boy up to his toes.

Danny was there a second later putting pressure on Dash's wrist, scowl in place, causing the jock's grip to loosen. "It is uncouth to drag others into an issued one on one challenge. You had been intent to have a go at me, and so I accepted," he sneered pressing harder on the pressure point.

"What's with you freak?" a sandy brown-haired jock quipped with narrowed eyes. "Moves like that ya could be a B-lister at least. Just drop the accent."

"Yea, you punch Foley and you're in," another agreed curling his lip.

"Fine. Ya get one chance nerd," Dash added with a sneer of his own.

Danny eyed Tucker with a raised brow as the teen squirmed. "Just do it, dude, I understand," he said in a resigned tone before squinting his eyes tight.

The jocks instantly started trying to peer pressure Danny. His frown deepened eyes narrowing, sky blue irises taking on a much more icy undertone. "Those who use their power to accost ones who are weaker, are people I have no interests with. There is no glory in lording over others if your subjects would smite you first chance given. You are ill intended, and you will be usurped by a more fitting ruler."

"Hey! I think I know that one! What play is that from?"

"Can it Kwan." Dash shot over his shoulder, before ripping his hand away from Danny. Dash reared back his arm ready to throw a (rather sloppy in Danny's opinion) punch, only for a sharp call to cause pause.

Dash's fist fell as he instead crossed his arms over his chest. "Enough!" The teacher called rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. "Break it up and go back to your meals before I give you all detentions.

Dash nodded and turned to leave but not before stomping down onto Danny's toes, causing the smaller teen to yelp. "Saved by the science teacher, appropriate for a geek," he hissed. After making a motion with his head the bully brigade, they all left as one. A few moments later, the satisfied teacher left too.

"Dude that was awesome! Like, you actually stuck up for me! And turned down an offer to be one of the popular kids! Almost no one ever does that." Tucker grinned grateful smile in place.

"Jeez Tuck. What am I then? Mulched compost?" a female teen said plunking down next to where Tucker was sitting, lunch tray in hand. "And you." She pointed an accusatory finger to Danny as he turned his attention back to Tuck and the new girl. "That fur had better be fake," she said with such ferocity Danny actually wondered if she were a ghost herself.

Danny took a seat across from the odd pair and flashed a grin to the girl. "Well it is, in fact, real-" Sam's purple glare intensified to the point Danny actually marvelled at the fact her eyes hadn't begun glowing. Tucker made a motion across his neck with his hand, teeth clenched as he flailed. "Real yeti fur, to be exact."

Sam blinked, quelling her intensity but her scowl deepened. Tucker let out a small snort, before yelping in pain and falling back in his chair, holding his leg in pain, Danny watched him a bit before glaring her down as if daring her to try something else.

Why does everyone seem intent to do physical harm to that one? When the other boy laughed bitterly and kicked up at her back Danny relaxed slightly, now recognizing the chastising blow for what it was.

"Ha, ha." She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and eyeing the teen again. "Well, What makes you want to be around this idiot?" she asked jerking her head to Tucker as he pulled himself to the chair.

"Sam chill, jeez. He's new." Tucker said waving off her glare.

"That wouldn't matter if it was real fur," she insisted staring at the boys. "But I can already see it's not, there's no tag, or brand marker, so you're fine for now. 'Least until you assimilate elsewhere and have your soul sucked out by the school system."

Danny blanched looking completely scandalized. "They employ reaper wraiths here?"

Tucker snickered. "Yea, what do you think the teachers are?"

"Can't argue with that," Sam agreed before digging into her salad.

"Alas, I had been hoping this was not a prison," Danny said.

After swallowing down her bite Sam sends an almost feral smile towards Danny. "Alright I'll admit, new guy's funny"

"Yeah man, you play it straight too. If I didn't know any better I'd swear you weren't kidding," Tucker agreed tossing over an apple. "Here man, I ain't gunna eat it."

Danny caught it and flashed his new friend a smile, pushing down his nervous feelings of the teachers now. He flicks his eyes towards the nearest teacher before dipping his head slightly to show gratitude towards Tucker.

Sam smacked Tucker's shoulder with the back of her hand. "Seriously Tucker! Eat a plant once in a while!"

"I did earlier." He rebutted with false pain in his voice. "It was wheat, ground and baked but it's still a plant. I made the sacrifice. I did it for the sandwich…. That glorious-!"

"You're an idiot." She rolls her eyes, ignoring the rest of Tucker's monologue. "So where are you from? Why move to Amity?" Sam asked elbowing Tucker to shut him up.

"I had no choice in the matter, actually if I am being honest."

"Parents moving for that new DELV building that opened up? I heard they were doing a mass hiring..." Tucker supplied rubbing his sore side.

"Ah no, forcefully relocated, quite frankly. I am not familiar enough with the area at all, either…" Danny trailed off remembering what the officer had said earlier about ghosts. Would these two think him nothing more than a scourge as well? A pest, a plague that needs to be wiped out? Did all humans think that way?

"Is that why you were brought in by the cops today?" Sam asked a smirk on her face. "And here I'd thought you were some sort of bad-ass. You just got lost on your way here?"

"Yes, that is what happened." Danny agreed easily content to go along with the lie she had manufactured for him.

"Lame."

"Not all of us want to go to the slammer, Sam." Tucker refuted with a roll of his eyes.

"I regret nothing. Those frogs needed to be freed!" Sam argued back. "At least I didn't get that super stomach bug from the tainted meats last month. Tell me again about your hospital visit Tuck?"

"Oh no, low blow, man…"

The girl rolls her eyes, playful smirk in place before turning back to Danny. "S'pose I should mention," the goth stuck out a hand. "Sam."

Danny nodded and reached past her hand to grip her forearm. "Danny," he responded giving a firm up and down jerk of his arm.

"Medieval. I like it." She smirked, motioning to the odd clasp of his hand.

"Actually, I learned from my guardian, Pand-...da, Panda. She is Greek." He gave a sheepish smile hoping they wouldn't catch the slip-up. Pandora had said she was a famous figure among humans after all.

"Dude, is that what you call your Mom or Dad?" Tucker teased a bright smirk on his face.

"She is not my mother officially…"

"Oh… sorry dude…" Tucker exchanged a glance with Sam

"Where do you put these?" Danny asked suddenly, not liking the other's sullen attitudes, waving his bare apple core in front of the duo.

"Green bin over there." Sam offered with a jerk of her thumb in the general direction. Danny nodded and moved towards the bin. Once he was out of earshot Sam whispered to Tucker, "I did hear a rumour he was a kennel kid… overheard a few of the teachers talking about it in the hall."

"So when he says forcefully relocated…."

"Yea, CPS probably changed his foster family on him…I heard they can do that with no reason other than they can." Sam frowned. "Just another reason that government practices need a serious overhaul to be useful."

Danny's tossed the core into the bin, smirking as it landed in with a 'ka-chunk.'

"Yeesh, harsh… what do you-" Danny's return caused Tucker to clamp his jaw shut with a slight clack. Danny raised a brow as he was met with twin pairs of overly nonchalant smirks.

"Am I missing something?" Danny asked, deciding it better not to question on what he had inadvertently overheard, eyes flicking from one teen to the other in confusion.

"Um, It's just almost time for gym! Worst time really, right after a meal… I once threw up so bad because I had this hotdog eating contest with AJ and we- Ow Sam Stop that!" Tucker complained rubbing his now sore arm.

"Well quit your rambling then." Danny eyed the two again, but before he opened his mouth to speak, Sam pulled Tucker to his feet, and grabbed Danny's arm. "Well come on let's go before Dash beats you two to the locker room,"

"Right yea! Come on We'll show you the way, bud!" Tucker said overly cheerful.

Danny smiled none the less hearing that. It was nice being around others his own true age, he had to admit. Even if they were odd from his perspective. They seemed to have accepted him too, well human him anyway.

But would they be so accepting if they knew he really wasn't a human, but a ghost?

-..-..-..-

**A/N: And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the intro of Sam and Tuck. Please R&R **


	9. B-Grade Bullies

**A/N: man December was a mess. I had a few long work weeks, four Christmasses to deal with, my birthday then my anniversary and new years all packed into the last week of the month. The whole thing is just UGH! So yea Anyway here's a chapter. **

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**Rara Animis 9**

**B-grade Bullies**

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"Lady Pandora! I'm sorry to be contacting you so late, but it seems that Danny has yet to appear in our realm. Has he been pushed off course? Has he perchance returned to you? Has he contacted you in any way?"

Pandora glared into the halo screen to the Far Frozen leader. "He has not. What do you suggest?"

"I am unable to breach contact through normal means and I am hesitant to use our artifact to locate him as it can be unpredictable, even for one such as I who can assert control over it, but it is a contingency," Frostbite responded earnestly.

The ancient woman huffed. "I will send scouts, as should you. Scan the area of travel and The Octant on either end of his path, and have your best trackers see if they can pick up a scent. I'll do the same and send out my hound handlers, and we shall meet in the middle," Pandora ordered, fire flaring around her.

Frostbite bit back a smirk seeing her ferocity. While neither party had said it outright, they both knew the most likely thing to examine was the prospect that someone had taken him. Danny was never one to make them worry in this way… "Should we notify the council? This could be the sign we were advised about."

"Yes… I will advise the high council myself of the matter. You and yours are better trackers then me and mine," she sighs out deeply, both to reign in her emotions and at the admittance of superiority.

With practiced ease only a millennium of being a leader can provide, the yeti only gave a solemn nod, his face stony yet fierce, as he stilled the rumbling growl building in his throat. "We will find him, M'lady."

"I know. It is simply a matter of who shall be on the receiving end of my spear once we do," she growled fiercely.

"Indeed."

-..-..-..-

Danny stared blankly ahead, waiting for Tucker to change. Being new meant he didn't have the training uniform the other teens did, and there were no spares just lying about according to the gruff teacher he'd met beforehand.

"You sure you want to take that heavy thing out there?" Tucker asked, referring to Danny's cloak, as he pulled his gym shirt over his head.

"Yes. I do not see a point in removing it." Danny shrugged. "It is something I always wear, so would it not make sense to train with it?"

"Um, no? Unless you think you're ever going to need to play an emergency soccer game," Tucker scoffed shoving his normal clothes into his gym locker.

"No, but running is a possibility, do you not think?"

"Nah, man. I try to avoid that whole 'moving' thing as much as I can."

"That seems impractical…"

"I'm a gamer, I make the Digi sprites do the moving for me," Tucker said with a flippant wave as they exited the change rooms and headed towards the grassy field.

"Is soccer not a game?"

"Not the kind I like, bud. You ever played Doomed?" Danny shook his head in the negative and Tucker looked personally offended. "Dude, no! That's like, a grievous crime! We have to fix this! After school you, me, my place. I'll introduce you."

That didn't sound good. "I will do my best to make up for that shortcoming… I had not realized it was such a serious issue."

"Don't worry, we'll fix it."

"Fix what?" Sam asked as she jogged over from the women's change room.

"Dude's never played doomed!"

Sam snorted at the response. "Figures. Only you could get that worked up over a video game."

Video game? Danny had played games through the holographic video screens at the Far Frozen, granted they were mostly tactical and puzzle type games, but they still counted, or at least, he thought they did. Frostbite was always so pleased when he was able to figure his way out of a problem. That thought made him smile.

His chest ached as thought about how difficult it will be for him to return, and how worried they must be for him… had he disappointed them? Would they come to help him? They still cared deeply about him even when he screwed something up, but how would they be able to come here?

Portals were finicky things after all… How long would it take for one to open up to allow him a way home? Could he or his caregivers find the one he'd come through? Would he be stuck here?

He shook his head free of that route of thinking. It would do him no good to continue along with it only to end up feeling sorry for himself. He focused instead, on the humans he was with. Danny was about to ask what exactly they meant with ' Doomed video game,' not fully understanding what that might be, when the teacher snapped them to attention, with a call of "line up maggots!"

Danny looked between everyone in the class and followed suit in the rather shameful spline line they had designed with their bodies. The teacher didn't seem to care about that as Danny had thought she would and instead started instructing on stretches she wanted them to do. The half-human complied easily enough, familiar with this sort of thing.

The teacher went around correcting some of the kids' forms before commanding they line up at the edge of the track that ran the circumference of the field.

"Right, one lap around before we divide you idiots into teams. Greenhorn!" She snapped suddenly as Danny took his place at the starting line, eyes meeting hers when she called. "Lose the coat! 'Less ya think overheating and passing out will get you out of your daily exercise!"

"I assure you I am alright with the added layer," Danny responded as smoothly as he could earning a snort from the woman.

"You know Frostina, wearing a cape don't mean your gonna move like a superhero," Dash chided from a few people over. A few of his buddies snickered alongside him.

"It is just Frost. Or Danny," came the snide reply. "Unless you feel your head is far too swollen to absorb any new information, I recommend you use my name properly." It was a bigger insult than the jock probably realized it was. To twist a ghost's chosen name knowingly was usually a call to arms.

"That a threat?" the blonde growled out. Tucker watched on with worry from behind Danny.

"It is if you wish it to be," Danny sneered back.

"Why you-!"

"Get going, you lazy lumps!" The teacher called over whatever Dash was going to say, causing the heard of teens to take off.

Danny was enjoying the jog near the front of the pack, but not pressing hard to overtake anyone. It was a warm-up, not a race, right? Well, some clearly didn't get that memo as they rushed ahead, full tilt.

Dash growled and pulled ahead of the group intent on tripping up the loser who had the audacity to talk to him like that, however, Danny simply moved around the jock in a nimble spin on the balls of his feet, before continuing on, not even slowing his jog.

The jocks snickered again, this time at Dash's expense. "Losing your touch," one sing-songed as he jogged past the bewildered blonde.

Dash couldn't take that laying down! He bolted after the new kid, who had now overtaken him and was seeming to keep an easy pace with Kwan. Dash furrowed his brow and made a grab for the trailing bits of the kid's cloak hoping to clothes-line the loser.

Danny smirked and poured on a bit of extra speed before dodging to the left letting Dash overcompensate and smack headfirst into Kwan's back. They shared a bewildered look before Dash growled and poured on his speed to straight-up tackle the nerd. Sam glared at Dash as he blew passed her, giving a seething glare which the blonde promptly ignored.

Danny looked over his shoulder giving a smirk to the jock, who was quickly closing the space between them. Danny's sly smile only seemed to add gas to the fire. He could see Dash's reddened face, whether from exertion, or from anger, or both, Danny couldn't be sure. With a slight lean forward Danny poured on his speed for the final hundred metres blowing past a lanky redheaded kid ahead of him with ease.

"Want to race, do you?" Danny chided the blonde with a smirk.

Danny skirted passed the finish line somewhere between fourth and eighth with the pack of kids, and came to a halt, just as Dash barreled through. He didn't have time to revel in his victory however as he realized just a second before it happened, that he'd misread the situation.

The startled athletic kids squawked and scattered as Dash slammed forward into Danny knocking the smaller teen over from the force. Danny grunted as he hit the tarmac, the other teen on top of him in a tangle of limbs.

Instinct kicked in before Danny fully registered what had happened. With a buck of his hips to the ground, he was able to coil around the larger teen detangling his legs and shoulder from his grip using the momentum from Dash's weight to push forward. Danny landed on top pressing his knee into the blond's gut and pinning him.

Dash could hardly move, as the smaller teen had found the pressure points to keep him pinned. He simply stared up into the other's face, and the spark that seemed to be behind his eyes gave Dash chills.

Danny blinked in confusion down at the other teen. "Sorry!" he managed before jumping back off Dash. And just like that the scrawny nerd was back, replacing the warrior from a moment prior.

The jock jumped to his feet, somewhat dazed, and definitely angry. He reeled back his fist. "Why you little-" he started only to stutter to a halt. He blinked once, twice, before his fist fell to his side. "Don't do that again freak." He grumbled before walking away rather dejected.

Danny tilted his head in confusion before adjusting his cloak and turning around to look for Tucker, only to almost smack right into the teacher. No wonder Dash took off so quick… "Frost! Good moves! You going to join the wrestling team?" she inferred rather than asked.

"Er, I was not planning on it, no…"

"Bah! Waste of talent, then!" The teacher grumbled before turning back to the track to berate the stragglers for being so slow. Danny frowned as he took a place next to Sam and the pair watched Tucker struggle the last leg of the track, along with half a dozen other equally out of shape teens.

"So," Said Sam, pulling the halfa's attention away from the struggling Tucker, and to her eyes, shining with amusement. "You're athletic, a theatre nerd, and can handle your own in a fight clearly... What other non-conforming surprises you got?"

Danny chuckled. Was he really that much of an outlier? "You will have to be patient and see I suppose."

Sam smirked at that, seemingly have accepted his cryptic non-answer. "Fine, but if you turn out to be secretly goth, we will have words."

"Oh, and why is that?" Danny replied as something caught his attention from behind. The jocks again. Why are they such nuisances? He sent an exasperated look to the ringleader, Dash, locking eyes with him for only a split second before the blonde broke it first.

"Just ignore those idiots." Sam's voice was sharp as a knife. "The only way they can get people to pay attention to them is by literally forcing them to," Sam said before sneering back at the jocks herself, just as Tucker collapsed to the ground at their feet.

"H-How can you two… Just run like that!" he panted out from his prone position.

"I think the better question is why can't you? Personally, I blame all the animal death weighing you down but-"

"No! Not fair! Can't talk… Lungs on fire!"

Before the pair's usual argument could start anew, the teacher blew her whistle, causing Danny to wince from the shrill sound. "Right! Now that you are warmed up, I'll divide you into two teams for soccer!"

The majority of the class groaned.

-..-..-..-

The council of ancients had just about finished clearing out from the meeting Pandora had called. She warned of dark times ahead, and the possibility that the thousand-year prophecy may be coming to a head. Of course, this came across as a most troubling thing, with all members wishing to make preparations for times ahead. And yet, two members of the council hung back.

"The news Pandora brought us is most… interesting don't you agree?"

"Quite, though if I may ask, do you know if it was the other creature's doing? Platinum or whatever that foul being calls itself?"

"Yes, I'm sure it was. My scouts-men reported seeing the metal hunting ghost he employs taking off with Pandora's pet."

"Good, good. Things are well underway. We must act quickly, there is much to be done if we wish to steer this in our favour."

"Is your sight truly blocked, Regent?"

"Do not think so low of me," the Regent hissed in warning "…Though it is not clear, I merely feign total ignorance to buy us time. It is these foul demi-spirits! There are too many things, too many deviations to allow a clear path to form before me!" A deep breath and a sigh then, "Alas, I do know the Phantom is in the human realm, grown feeble from the other's doing."

"He is without clout, and with wavering will? Good. That foul creature has no place at the high table! And soon the true ruler will reign. I will not bend a knee to one who has no royal lineage!"

"Indeed, he is not of royal blood or standing."

"Thrust forward to the chagrin of the realms! It's not cyclic!"

"Which is why we need to make our play now, rather than wait and watch idly by while this prediction of Clockwork's comes to pass. Go now. Rally our kinsmen."

"By your leave then, Regent."

-..-..-..-

Danny followed Tucker (and the rest of the male teens by default) back to the locker room. Even though he had nothing to change, he thought it best to wait for Tucker. He picked up his notebook where he'd left it on the bench and took a seat while Tucker went through his after gym routine. The process was mostly drowning himself in too much body spray, making Danny sneeze.

The soccer game went smooth. Too smooth, and the halfa wasn't the only one to notice. Dash had practically avoided Danny all together on the field not once trying to trip him or even so much as send him a dirty look.

Sam seemed to be convinced that because Danny showed he may have some actual fighting skills to Dash's otherwise haphazard brawling, the jock had elected to leave the not so easy target alone. Tucker, on the other hand, was more worried, saying that Dash had to be planning some big messy prank to get back at Danny for making him look like a fool.

Danny, however, couldn't figure it out and wasn't confident in either theory. He went from constant pestering to barely being able to keep eye contact. Dash didn't seem scared within those few moments of eye contact they had managed, nor did he seem resentful. Perhaps a little angry but the half-ghost couldn't help but feel _he_ wasn't the target of the other's ire.

It was an odd position to be in for sure.

When the locker room had cleared out, save the stragglers and themselves, Danny stole another glance to the jocks all huddling off to the side. When they noticed him looking they seemed to stare back as if daring him to say or try something, the halfa mimicked the expression back to the jocks locking eyes with all of them, but no one did what Dash was doing. Said blond huffed and cocked his head before stepping free of the pack, and waving the remaining teens out of the room.

Tucker, with half his shirt on and only one shoe, yelped loudly when the blonde forced his way in between the two smaller teens and stared down his nose at Danny.

"You and me are gunna have a chat Frost," Dash sneered, but Danny could tell it was more for the show of those watching than an actual threat. Odd…. "Right now. 'Round back," he said forcefully as he could.

Danny tilted his head as he looked up to the jock. "Dude no!" Tucker called from the other side scrambling to make himself known behind Dash's bulk.

"Can it Foley! You stay outta this or you'll be turned into the school flag again."

"It will be alright, my friend," Danny soothed offering a smile, before pointing his head and nodding to the doors leading to the field. "Go on then."

Dash huffed and marched away only checking over his shoulder once to make sure the dark-haired teen was following. Danny raised a brow as Dash looked back but remained silent as they exited the change room and rounded the school to stand by the bleachers, near the back of the field where they had just had their soccer game.

When Dash stopped and still stayed silent for longer than Danny felt comfortable with, he asked simply, "well?"

"Heard ya were a foster, got pulled from your hosts, or whatever to come here."

"Your point being?" Danny replied flatly.

"You get moved 'cuz a those marks on your neck? Or get 'em here?" Dash asked seriously.

Danny winced remembering the still tender spots where the older halfa crushed his windpipe. He rubs it idly and his eyes drop to the ground a moment before drifting to the trees at the side of the field. "That seems hardly any of your concern," Danny said quietly still not wanting to return his gaze to the blonde. "But, if you feel you must know, it is part of why I ended up here." He exhaled before snapping his gaze harshly back to Dash.

Dash's lip curled up as he saw the fierce challenging look, but his eyes seemed to flash in understanding. "Look, ya seem decent, and ya got some moves, so I'll tell the others to lay off."

"Is that what you dragged me out here for? To inquire about how that deranged Masters strangled me?" Dash winced at the 'master' comment instantly misinterpreting as something darker, and his face shifted to match his mood. "As I am sure you realize I am more than capable of looking after myself, but I would appreciate if you leave Tucker alone, as well as any of the others you seem keen to frequently attack for no reason."

"Yeah right, I gotta get those geeks and freaks to respect me, and it's the fastest way to make sure they know their place."

Danny shook his head pulling back his cloak putting his bruises on full display. "Do you think I respect the one who did this?" The jock's eyes instantly fall to the ground his brow furrowing in sympathy. "Fear is not respect. If those who follow you are willing to abandon you and not stay by your side, then it is not respect. Tell me, if you were to disappear, or get attacked, who would stand to help fight with you? Who would be looking for you? If odds are stacked against you, will you have someone battle ready? How many would easily join a coup to strip you of your power and titles?"

"You making fun -a me? I will still punch your face in if ya are. Can't believe I felt sorry for a loser like you," Dash growled lowly, but his eyes held no malice. At least some of Danny's words were ringing in his brain, it seemed.

Danny simply raised a brow before shaking his head. "If that is what you think of sound advice then we are done." Danny turned to leave, readjusting his cloak as he spins with a dramatic flair.

Dash growled and stomped forward reeling his arm to throw a punch. Danny gives him a side-eye and dodged fluidly before catching the arm and using the taller jock's own momentum, flipping him onto his back. The halfa sent a cocky two-fingered salute before continuing on his way.

The jock blinked up blankly for a moment in bewilderment. The slamming of the door caused him to sit up and stare at the portal to the changing rooms. That kid really did have some moves… and that means whatever guy left those marks on him, wasn't someone Dash ever hoped to meet. With a frown, he hurried himself up and away from the field.

Dash knew he'd have to watch himself around that Danny kid; if he can take him down, a guy almost twice his size with such ease by barely doing anything, what could he do if they really angered him?

They just needed to make sure to watch out for him… easy enough right?

**-.-.-.-**

**A/N: As always thanks to my Beta FiveRivers! Please R&R I always love to hear what you think! **


	10. Who's Afraid Of Ghosts?

**A/N: Whoo! Feb already and I was able to get this up! Perfect! Well, not too much to say at this time other than to please R&R ^_^**

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Rara Animis 10

**Who's Afraid Of Ghosts?**

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Science class was, in a word, fascinating. Danny had learned a good number of things from the Far Frozen Institutes and Research Labs, (colloquially known as The Frills) but he'd never seen these types of theories or images. He was thankful for the textbook, truly, it gave him something to read to help him block out the incessant chattering that was Tucker.

The other teen had been pestering Danny about what had happened with Dash, even after he was told, insisting he be given a play by play retelling of the events. As such, these images and notations on how matter interacted with other forms and the like were heavily interesting.

Not to mention how he could see how the elements he was familiar with in the ghost zone could be translated to how the material elements reacted and interacted with one another. It was also interesting in the sense of how their cultures looked for answers to a problem. Humans seemed to search inwards out, starting with what was closest to them, often running into personal bias as they went, and having to rule those out later.

Danny was quite content to go through the textbook, reading through the tome with fervour, even eliciting a strange look from the teacher, who came by more than once to check to see that, yes, he was in fact engrossed in the textbook and not something else.

When the bell rang, Tucker and Sam had to prod Danny more than once to get him to move and relinquish the hold on the book. Danny pouted but complied leaving the book back on the shelf where he had gotten it from. It was just starting to talk about the moon landing and the solar system too… And such clear images!

"There was a whole section dedicated to the Andromeda galaxy!" Danny chirped excitedly when the other teens asked what he was so enamoured with. "With non-speculative distances but approximations in light years! There were diagrams on the shuttle they used for the moon landing too, as well as the equations for how one would measure an atoms variants in the table." Danny continued a child-like wonder on his face. "All in that one four-hundred and sixty-eight paged book."

"Yeah, um, textbooks man… whoo-hoo?" Tucker offered with a confused **lackluster** smile.

"Seriously those things are probably over a decade old, they're probably out of date," Sam piped in slamming her locker shut after having retrieved her bookbag.

"Still, the pictures were clear and it was easy to read," Danny huffed, somewhat disappointed that his new friends didn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

"Easy to read? Seriously man? Where the heck did they build you?" Tucker asked. As Danny began to retort Tucker waved him off. "Nah man I'm calling it. Robot sent from the future that I built and you're here to protect me from the evil robots sent to kill me."

"Tucker he's not a Terminator," Sam sighed.

"I assure you I am of mostly flesh and bone," Danny offered awkwardly.

"Well, best way to test it out is by getting a triple mister meaty!" Tucker said, excitedly pointing off down the road.

"A what now?" Danny asked, searching off in the distance. He had assumed they would need to stay on these grounds until the warden came to fetch him but these two were keen to leave and had no misgivings about the matter then he figured he would go with it.

"No, what you'll want is a salad," Sam opined.

"You've never been to the Nasty Burger I'm guessin', right? Well, you need to experience the full pleasure that is the triple mister meaty, or, heck, even the double with extra sauce. Either is a joy on the pallet, really."

"Do you mean food?" Danny asked skeptically, and, upon remembering what happened earlier in the cafeteria, he added, "I still have none, you had provided me with things to eat remember?"

"No funds? Right." Tucker said with a frown.

Danny shook his head and Sam rolled her eyes. "Well if you get a salad I'll buy it for you," she said.

"Now that's extortion!" Tucker accused, and thus started an argument between the pair as they walked.

Unable to take more than five minutes of the nonsensical noise, Danny interjected. "Perhaps tell me what I may be able to trade for the food?"

Sam and Tucker exchanged a look, before Tucker said, "Nah, man, it's cool. Just get us back when you can."

Danny nodded, while Sam scoffed. "'Us?' there is no us we both know you're going to default this to me," She said with a roll of her eyes as she opened the door of the burger place to let them all inside.

"Well, Miss Sam, you _are-"_

"Shut it!"

Danny looked about the restaurant as he entered taking note of the odd decor and separated bench seats. "This is an odd dining hall," he muttered more to himself than anything. While the school cafeteria had still been segmented the long interconnected tables and assortment of chairs were at least similar to the dining rooms he had been in. This, on the other hand, was far more isolated, it did not seem to be built to promote camaraderie.

There was even a single human off to the side eating a sandwich by his lonesome. What was wrong with him? Did he have something contagious and needed to be given space? Why were there others scattered about more content to be alone than with their peers?

Before Danny was able to voice his thoughts however, Tucker hooked his arm in Danny's and dragged him forward. "What do you like in a burger, my man?" he asked, grin bright as he gestured vaguely to the numbered sign.

"I- I do not know?"

"What do you mean you 'do not know'?" He asked before a look of enlightenment passed over his features. "Oh, I mean do you want everything on it?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Extra nasty sauce."

"Alright? I will go with that." Danny frowned unsure. "Er, a three…" He added after when prompted to pick a number on the board. He honestly had very little idea what these things were exactly.

Sam placed the orders and handed the boys each an empty cup. Danny frowned at it but didn't voice his confusion. Instead, he mutely followed them to a dispensary machine and copied their actions, to receive his sweet-smelling liquid. He had no idea what this brown stuff was but the others were happy to ingest it so it had to be safe… Right?

It tasted sweeter then it smelled and fizzed like the festive drinks he was given around the holidays or for anniversary celebrations, but retained its water-like consistency. He clicked his tongue to rid it of the fizz before he voiced his question about the drink. "Is there something we are celebrating?"

"Um. no?" Sam said her lips pulling down into a frown. "Why? You want to do something cheesy like toast to new friendships?" she teased.

"I'm in! Cheers!" Tucker said with a grin holding his cup up towards Danny and gave it a little shake.

The halfa grinned at that. Finally, something he recognized! He brought up his paper cup and bumped it to Tucker's, popping off the plastic lid as he did so. "Kalos!"

"Ugh don't encourage him," Sam complained, through a small smile pulled at her lips. Tucker shot her a smirk before grabbing her arm and raising it up. While she didn't struggle from the motion, she wasn't exactly helping either, and her elbow hung limply as Tucker puppeteered her arm.

"Clink," Tucker said as he finally touched her cup to theirs.

"Idiot." She sighed, though her fond smile stayed as she turned to grab the tray of food as their number was called.

Sam marched the boys to an empty booth and dropped the tray into the middle of the table, launching a few fries free from their paper sleeves.

Danny slid into the seat beside Tucker and a burger was placed before him. He stared at the wrapped food in interest a moment eyeing the others out of the corner of his eye as he unwrapped the food. He takes a curious bite and nods. It was an odd amalgamate definitely, but it was a tasty one.

"Well, how is it?" Tucker asked after he had scarfed down half of his own burger.

"Different, to be sure," Danny admitted.

"Accurate," Sam chided as she mixed about the dressing on her salad.

Danny frowned blinking down at the burger before giving a shrug and resuming his meal. He was too hungry to worry much about the thing anyway. Plus the human next to him had inhaled his and seemed to be doing fine still. Tucker started downing his fries in a **similarly** voracious manor.

As Danny finished his burger, wiping his mouth along his sleeve he made a rather confused face to Tucker similarly mirroring Sam's exasperated and disgusted one. "Is it a culture thing I am not aware of that one gets more food upon one's person rather than into their mouth, as though an animal?" Danny asked flicking away a piece of semi-chewed soggy fry that landed on the table a little too close for comfort.

Even during the 'war' feasts with denizens of The Far Frozen, where the literal point was to steal food from your comrades, to get the desirable morsels while using the less savoury ones as weapons, like some sort of all-out edible king of the hill or capture the flag game, he'd never seen someone eat so hastily and so messily.

Sam snorted out a laugh. "It is for him," she said, a smirk pulling her lips. "Just keep your palms flat if you try to feed him a treat."

"Not funny" Tucker huffed around his mouth full of fries sending another chunk flying at Sam. she held up the lid to her salad quick as ever to block the assault.

"And thus we see why these are called nasty fries," She snarked, before flicking the lid and launching the fry off of it and back towards Tucker.

"Hey! At least I'm eating actual food, not the stuff food actually eats." Tucker remarked pointing a fry towards Sam's salad.

"I'll have you know-"

"Please discontinue this pointless banter!" Danny groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. "Truly, I have no idea why what you consume is an issue for you both. Should you not just be content with the fact you do not live in a time of famine where you have the option to actually choose what you wish to eat?"

The two teens exchanged a glance before they both had the decency to look away from one another ashamed. "I… Your right about that," Sam was the first to speak after being reprimanded. "But still, there are so many reasons why vegetarianism and-"

A glare from Danny made her snap her mouth shut, and she shuddered visibly as a small bit of cool air hit her.

Tucker gulped visibly and looked between Danny and Sam. "So um, Doomed?" he asked before shoving the straw of his drink into his mouth.

Sam's eyes snapped to Tucker just as a screech came from somewhere outside the restaurant. "Ghost?" she asked, instead of responding to his earlier question.

Tucker shuddered and turned to look out the window seeing people fleeing away from the hulking green and purple armoured ghost heading down the street. "That's a huge yes. We need to move!"

Danny perks up and swivels his head around to examine the oncoming figure. He frowns not recognizing the armoured knight that was heading their way. The large purple plated metal was smooth and polished, with green lance and shield held at the ready. Large plumes of coloured feathers coming from its head melded into the blood-red cape the knight had.

The insignia on the shield seemed to ring a bell in Danny's head but he couldn't seem to pinpoint where he had seen it. Most likely it was only in passing at a Christmas party or something…

Before he could ponder on it further, Tucker had grabbed Danny's upper arm and started pulling him to his feet. "Come on dude! We gotta get outta here. You so don't wanna be caught in the crossfire of a ghost attack. Or the crazy Fentons' decontamination procedures afterwards for that matter."

Danny's lips pulled down into a scowl as he eyed the knight. He wasn't really 'attacking' per se, but it also seemed he had little regard for whatever was in his path, easily climbing over the cars and knocking over the metal poles or whatever else lay in his wake as he methodically continued forward.

As much as Danny hated to admit it, he was currently useless. If the ghost needed to be prevented from causing more destruction he was not currently the one to do it. While Frostbite and Pandora had taught him how to fight as well as dodge and block without ghost powers, his human form wasn't nearly as durable as his spectral one… if going off how a simple piece of paper had injured his finger earlier …

"A tactical retreat then?" Danny asked as he stood. Twin nods came in response and Danny was instantly following the other two out of the restaurant and onto the street getting swept up in the flow of the crowd.

The knight's head swivelled about before he seemed to pick up his pace towards the fleeing people. Danny turned just in time to lock eyes with the ghost's disembodied red irises, which seemed to crinkle upwards and narrow as he bore them into the halfa.

Danny could feel alarm bells ringing in his head as the knight seemed to zero in on him. He could feel the pressure from the knight's ghostly aura directed at him, despite not being able to access his core at the moment. Danny curled his lips in a snarl. Why was _this_ ghost after him?

The ghost lowered it's lance, aiming its tip towards the group of teens. With more speed then it looked like the ghost should be capable of, he charged forward with a roaring battle cry.

"Run for it!" Sam shouted, grabbing Tucker's arm and booking it.

Danny followed their lead for all of three steps before he tackled the other two out of the way of the ghost's lance. The trio rolled over one another while the ghost impaled its lance into the side of a brick building. Danny pulled the two humans up to their feet just as the ghost phased it's lance free from the building, head snapping towards them before the body twisted to follow.

"Is it just me or does that guy seem to be targeting us?" Sam asked, nervously gripping Tucker's arm with white knuckles as Danny moved in front of them.

"Amusing. Then again curs often protect higher beings," the knight spat out, deep voice vibrating their bones.

"I do not know why you are attacking, but you need to stop before someone gets injured!" Danny growled out, glaring at the opposing ghost.

The knight huffed. "Injuring is the idea!" he spat and lowered his lance again towards him before he lunged.

"That hardly seems like an honourable thing for a knight to do, attacking unarmed civilians!" The human halfa barely had time to dodge out of the way, the lance narrowly missing him as he jumped to the side.

The knight growled before swapping out his lance for a bow and arrow, firing towards the defiant boy. It whizzed by his head managing to slice a few hairs as the teen ducked.

"Not much of a talker, then?" Danny mused as the ghost rounded at him, sweeping out Danny's legs with his shield.

"Talk is cheap, the way of battle is what I speak," the knight growled back, morphing his bow into a shortsword and making another stab for the halfa as he recovers from the loss of footing.

"Danny!" Tucker and Sam called together as the teen narrowly avoided being skewered, by bending back almost right to the ground. Vulnerable now the ghost changed his weapon into a spear and directed it down onto Danny. The halfa's eyes widen as he grabs the spear by the shaft and begins to struggle to keep it away from his exposed chest. The ghost threw his weight forward into trying to pierce the boy.

Danny grunted, arms shaking, as the tip of the spear draws ever closer. The knight lifted his heavy leg and brought it down hard on Danny's shin, causing him to call out in pain, but his grip on the spear held firm.

"No!" someone called, Danny was too focused to figure out where exactly it came from.

"Die, you abomination," the ghost spat as he whipped the spear from Danny's grasp, changing the weapon to a mace, intending to bring it back down onto his head. He grounded his heel further into Danny's shin making the teen yell as he could feel his very bones straining under the weight.

The insult made Danny's eyes narrow, and he tried his best to sneer as he readied himself to try and curl away from the attack, only to blink in confusion as a metallic clang sounded off from the back of the ghost's armour. It seemed to get the knight's attention as he paused mid-swing to round on his new challenger.

"You dare attack me, you inferior creature?" the knight spat as he glared down its armoured nose **at** the woman who'd struck him.

Danny wiggled about and managed to just barely catch a glimpse of the blue-clad huntress brandishing a large ecto-rifle. She fired again with a growl, but the knight was ready this time and brought up his shield to disperse the blast.

Danny couldn't help but stare at the woman as something seemed to pull in the back of his mind. She was clad head to toe in teal and blue with goggles drawn making her look almost like an insect, with their reflective red glass. Her posture was defensive and she looked ready to lunge, fierce and dangerous with hate and disgust etching into her features, as she squared her shoulders against the knight.

Danny was mesmerized by the woman, unable to look away as everything else seemed to mute and fade into the background, and he could almost no longer feel the crushing pain in his leg once her semi-hidden gaze snapped to his prone form. He felt his heart speed up and had no understanding as to why. It felt like when Pandora caught him sneaking out to play with the Cerberuses, that disapproving look maybe? It had to be. But the huntress wasn't aiming her anger towards him…

"You dare think you can come here and attack us? You have no right to this plane of existence, ghost! I'll make sure to wipe you from it!" the huntress spat, snapping Danny out of his **reverie** as she began firing at the knight again after tweaking a dial on her gun. Again the ghost blocked, but the force of the blast caused him to stumble back, giving Danny the few precious seconds needed to pull his leg free from under the knight.

Tucker lunged for Danny as he crab-walked backwards towards the other teens, and **hauled the halfa up between him and Sam**. Once Danny was safe, the blue-clad huntress lunged at the knight. "Missus F's got him now! Let's go while we can!" Tucker whimpered shaking like a leaf from the close encounter.

"Yea, right! Can ya walk?" Sam asked shaking Danny's shoulder and snapping his focus away from the human woman's fighting styles with a dazed series of blinks.

"Is that one of the Fentons?" he asked eyes wide. The ghost hating Fentons, the ones who could end him if they wanted to, and who was currently fighting off the ghost that tried to double kill him?

"Yeah man, and unless you fancy getting covered in slime we need to book it!" Tucker said pulling Danny's arm, trying to help to get him off the ground.

The ghost knight is slammed into the ground, The huntress now brandishing a long bo-staff in her hands instead of the blaster. The knight's own weapon, now looking like a three balled flail, clattered down on his head, as the huntress smirked at the events. The huntress' lip curled into a sneer as she twisted something along her staff, causing the weapon to spark to life with bright green electricity.

Danny tried to move back, eyes wide at the sight only to put too much pressure on his injured leg and stumble back into Sam and Tucker. "Lightning..." he gulped out miserably. Even though the woman had not been aiming the weapon to him, nor was close enough to do so, the halfa swore he could smell the ozone burning along with the sweet and sour smell of spilled ectoplasm.

The knight refused to stay down. As the huntress approached he threw his shield out to trip her, exactly how he had done with Danny earlier. The woman was prepared, however, and turned her stumble back into a somersault, springing back to her feet and smacking the weapon down into the ghost's neck releasing the built-up electricity into his metallic armour.

The knight howled in pain and fell to his knees before collapsing forward face down in the dirt. Mrs. Fenton panting heavily, pulled out a collapsible containment device from her hip pouch, looking much like a small portable dustbuster vacuum, and sucked the knight ghost inside. Her fierce look dropped instantly as she turned to the children she had been protecting, pulling her goggles up and letting her kind violet eyes roam over each one, before settling on the strange teen in the middle.

"Are you all right?" she asks, taking a few steadying breaths to calm her breathing before coming closer to the trio.

"Fine!" both Tucker and Sam chirped out instantly, before sharing a glance with one another.

The woman crossed her arms and stared at them with a scrutinous gaze eyeing Danny's leg knowingly. "And you?" she asked in a clipped tone, cold and professional, but Danny could sense the genuine worry there.

"A sprain perhaps, but nothing you should trouble yourself with," Danny said in earnest. So long as his ghostly healing abilities were still working behind the scenes of his other powers, it would be healed by the end of the evening at the latest.

"A sprain is still serious enough to get sent to the hospital. Who're your parents?" She asked, continuing her professional tone.

"They are not in this city, but you need not worry about this truly. This is not worth-"

"Nonsense, sit down and let me at least give you a splint until you can get to a doctor," Mrs. Fenton ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And you _will_ go and see a doctor still."

"Course **Missus** F! We'll take him soon as we're able! Um, Right Sam!" Tucker said quickly nudging his friend, and flashing a too bright overly forced smile to the huntress.

"Yep! And we'll make sure to, erm, tell his parents too!" Sam agrees, nodding far too many times under the calculative purple irises.

Mrs. Fenton hummed and nodded before coming to Danny's leg. "You better make sure of that, I don't want another ecto-virus spreading throughout the town," she said rolling up Danny's pant leg to bandage the teen's foot. "That stupid ghost broke my portable contamination scanner so you'll have to get a check-up there for that too." Mrs. Fenton muttered.

She made sure the elastic bandage was secured with the clips before standing back up, hands on her hips and looking down her nose at the teens, looking very much the part of a disapproving mother. If I find out from his mother that you didn't take him I swear I won't hesitate to pull you two into community service again." She glared at them causing Tucker to shudder.

"Thank you for your help," Danny said quietly forcing himself to look away from his foot and into the eyes of the woman. Their eyes locked, and, for what felt like an overly long time, no one said anything.

Mrs. Fenton broke first, blinking and turning her gaze away from Danny. "It was nothing dear, just be careful and don't strain yourself. Get into see a real doctor as soon as you can and get a note for gym." She shook her head and turned away from the teens looking to be a bit in a daze herself. "Be safe, you three."

Danny watched her go blinking slowly until she turned the corner no doubt to return to her vehicle. "That was odd…" Sam said breaking the tense silence in the group.

"Yea, I know what you mean. She looked spooked when she looked you over dude, What did you do to her?" Tucker responded with a shake of his own head.

"I- I do not know, but she feels familiar…" Danny said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair before turning his gaze to the clouds overhead.

"Well she's been on a lot of magazines and book covers dude, maybe you've seen her on T.V. or something like that?" Tucker tried with a shrug. "Not to mention they are literally everywhere in town to the point I swear they've made clones of themselves."

"I-... Perhaps you are right. A book of some sort…" Danny said with a sigh. He had no idea how to say he'd never seen her before in his afterlife, because he'd never been to the human realm before, and not single himself out for being a ghost. Maybe that's why she was staring at him for so long? Did she know?

"Come on… We still gotta set up Doomed right?" Sam's voice cut through his thoughts like a knife. It seemed to have the desired effect on Tucker as he suddenly snapped back to normal and soon was pulling along the other two towards his house with vigour.

-..-..-..-

"Hey, Mads you look a little down hun, what's wrong?" Jack asked as he sat down at the table for dinner, poking the meal his wife presented the family, a semi burnt pork chop with a green mush that may have at one point been a mixed vegetable m**edley**. Maddie was never the best cook but whenever she has something on her mind her meals take a real turn.

"This is borderline inedible mum…" Jazz pipes up from Jack's left, poking at the crispy edges of the dinner.

"Sorry you two, I just... There was a boy today… He was with that protesting goth girl, he just… He reminded me so much of-" she trailed off shaking her head and turning to poke at her own food with her fork.

"Oh, Mads…" Jack reached across the table to rub her hand.

Jazz stabbed hard into her pork chop hitting the plate with a loud clank as she glared at her parents. She never really managed to forgive her parents for what happened to her baby brother all those years ago. Maddie flinched and turned her head away. "Black hair and blue eyes…" The mother muttered softly.

"You have to stop this. It's your fault you get like this every time you see a kid around what age he should have been with black hair and blue eyes. You need to accept that he's not coming back and no amount of searching and torturing information out of ghosts will help that." Jazz spat. "He's dead. He's not a ghost! Just let him rest in peace and let this die like he did."

"Jazzy, ple-" Jack started only to get shot down with a harsh glare from her boiling daughter.

"Don't! Just… Just don't." She hissed before pushing herself away from the table and storming upstairs, leaving the parents to sit in stew in silence.

Maddie bit her lip and looked to her husband. "I know she's right but I just… I just can't let it go…" the unspoken it's our fault hung in the air like a noxious gas lingering overhead, threatening to descend upon them at any moment.

"I know, **honey**… He's a Fenton! And Fenton's are survivors through and through, and no lousy ghosts are gunna take him down! If anything he's gotta be the most strongest ghost by now!" Jack boomed encouragingly.

Maddie gives her husband a bittersweet smile. "I just hope that if we do find our boy's ghost we'll recognize him…"

"We will, hun! I know we will!" Jack said moving to squeeze his wife.

-..-..-..-


	11. Cold Comfort

**A/N: Man, sorry this one came up a little late . Work has been devouring my soul but well at least it's still within the first few days of march right? Eh? well regardless here we are! Next month maybe a little slow as well as April I'll be participating in the Phic Phight in April so we'll see what happens there. Please R&R**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Cold Comfort**

-..-..-..-

-..-..-..-

Danny sighed as he sat down on the bed upon entering Tucker's dwelling, or, more accurately, his bedroom within the dwelling. Sam and Tucker had done a wonderful job as crutches, helping him hobble along on a semi-swollen leg.

"Do you want an ice pack dude?" Tucker asked, eyeing the other male's injury with suspicion in his gaze.

"I still say we should have taken him to the doctor..." Sam sighed, plopping down next to Danny, and making the headboard clank against the wall in protest.

"No, this is fine, I do not wish to be under the scrutiny of a physician." Danny waved her off for the umpteenth time. In truth, a doctor would help but he had no intentions of letting himself be examined by a human one. Regardless his leg was healing well as far as he could tell, the bandage that was wrapped around his injury was holding it well in place already allowing his break to fuse into a fracture.

"See? He gets it. Hospitals, man, never want to be there if I can help it. So, if he says he's fine I'll take the chance that his caretaker, or whoever, can sort it out later, right?" Tucker called earning a firm nod from Danny as he returns with a plastic ice pack. He hands the thing to Danny before moving to turn on a small T.V. on his dresser.

Danny takes the ice pack and tucks it under his pant leg eyeing the television with a frown. It was such a clunky looking machine and had a high pitched whine as it turned on. As Danny was about to ask what the point of it was when a colourful plastic device was shoved in his hands. Tucker threw himself down onto the floor with a solid clunk as a musical chime played from the television.

Danny examined the device he was given, holding it as Sam was, and it took him far longer than he cared to admit before he recognized the thing as a remote of some sort. "Sorry ya got the knock-off controller, we can trade off after a few rounds to keep it fair though," Tucker said wrongly interpreting Danny's confusion.

Danny only nodded in dumbfounded response as the screen displayed a rather jittery selection screen. Human tech was nothing like that which The Far Frozen utilized. Tucker set the game mode, excitedly explaining what buttons do what and prompted him to pick a character class. Danny obliged picking some overly buff looking man in blue and green breeches.

The other teens explained the game, saying that they would all be on the same side fighting the computerized enemies, and before he knew it they were playing. Danny found himself relaxing more and more as they played round after round, eventually battling each other within the digital space. It was hardly the most realistic thing Danny had played but he found it challenging and enjoyable nonetheless.

Before anyone realized it, the sun had gone down. It wasn't until Tucker's mother knocked on the door-frame and told them that it was past nine, did they even realize how late it had gotten.

"I don't believe I've met you before, I'm Angela Foley," the mother stated moving into Tucker's room, hand outstretched.

"Danny," he obliged with a dip of his head while the woman smiled pleasantly.

"Well it was nice meeting you, but it's getting late, and you three have school in the morning so I'm sorry to have to kick you out, but I'm sure your parents are wanting you home soon," Angela said, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she looked pointedly at her son.

"Right, yea. My parentals will probably have a fit and call the national guard if I'm not home soon." Sam sighed, moving to wrap up her current controller, coiling the cable around the device.

"Or just call us and complain about how I am raising my son to be a miscreant…" Angela grumbled under her breath, smile never faltering as she did, an impressive feat as far as Danny was concerned. "Tucker, make sure to lock the door once your friends have left," she said louder before nodding to the teens in the room and taking her leave.

Danny wrapped up his controller following Sam's lead, (he'd been copying these two a lot in most things it seemed,) the ice pack he'd long forgotten about clattered to the floor. "Ah yes, here, I suppose you would want this returned. Thank you for your hospitality and for allowing me the use of this." Danny said with a sheepish smile picking up the pack and handing it off to Tucker.

The other boy waved him off. "Anything to stay out of hospitals, man," he said with a small shudder, placing the pack on his dresser beside the T.V. to deal with later. He blinked down at the semi-solid ice-pack, it was still rather chilled, like it had been in the fridge rather than freezer but still… Tucker shook his head, he'd also deal with that later.

Danny offered a grateful grin as they made their way towards the front door. "How's your leg doing anyway?" Sam asked watching Danny suspiciously for any sign of him needing her help to walk.

"Much better, thank you. The sprain hardly hurts."

"You sure ya can walk alright on it? That was a gnarly bruise before…" Tucker asked, earning another nod from Danny. Tucker raised a brow down at the no longer swollen leg in suspicion and sent a glance to Sam, who offered a subtle nod.

"What way are you headed maybe we can walk a bit together, I'm on the north side of town," Sam said.

"I am not too sure where I need to head to actually. I am still not totally familiar with the cityscape." Danny admitted shifting his weight off his healing but still tender leg.

"Well, I'll walk with you anyway, maybe we'll come across a street you recognize"

"Text me when you're home, dude," Tucker said opening the front door for his friends. "Ah, do you have my number? I don't think I gave that to ya actually…" he trailed off noting that Danny didn't pull out a phone.

"I do not understand…" Danny blinked in confusion, looking between the others, shifting his gaze between them and taking in their own confused expressions. "What?"

"Your phone, dude? So I can give you my number," Tucker said while Sam waved about her own flip phone for emphasis.

"Ah, I do not have that," Danny said simply, gesturing to the device.

"What? Dude no! What self-respecting teenager doesn't have their own cell in this day in age!?" The technogeek threw his hand dramatically to his chest. "You can't be real! Never played Doomed and no cell? Seriously what universe are you from?"

"I am from the Isle of Eusebia held within The Asphodel quadrant"

Sam snorted and rolled her eyes, while Tucker gasped. "You are a sworn enemy of my people!"

"I am? I did not think we held grievous enemies within the carbon realm... What was it that has been done to offend you? Perhaps I can work to make amends?"

"You tried to kill my mother Sarah Conner," Tucker said with as straight a face as he could manage, causing Danny's to screw up in confusion.

"I do not know anyone with that name, perhaps it is one from The Tenebris Odium? They are closer to you and often are much more apt to cause misdemeanours around the realms…. What?"

"Dude… Have you really not seen Terminator either?"

"UGH! Later, Tucker, you can have your boy-toy back tomorrow. I wasn't lying about my parents freaking out." Sam said smacking the teen in the arm before a smirk appeared on her lips. "But I have to agree, a movie marathon is in order."

"Yes!" Tucker cheered giving a fist pump and an excited smile "Please say at your house?!"

Sam didn't respond, instead, she glared at him and pushed Danny out the door. "Later, Tuck."

Tucker huffed in exasperation before he shut the door with a sigh, while Sam marched Danny down the driveway. "So, do you know what street your place is on? Or someplace close by where you've come from?" Sam asked as they made their way to the sidewalk.

"Sort of? I remember a park with a fountain and a large treeline…" Danny offered unsurely. Perhaps she knew where he could find that permanent portal? Would it be something that would seem suspicious if he asked?

"Well, there's only one park with a fountain so that's something." Sam hummed in thought before turning left nudging Danny with her arm as she did.

Danny weighed his options before deciding it would be worth the risk of sounding odd. If he can find his way back home it wouldn't matter anyway. "Do you know the building that houses the permanent ghost portal by chance?"

Sam gave him an odd look and raised a brow, before placing a hand to her arm and the other on her chin in thought. Danny's heart fluttered in hope.

"I… I think you're best to ask the Fentons directly if you're wanting to know what happened with that," she said after a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, trying to keep his tone even and not overly elated as he now had a solid lead to return home.

Sam sighed again. "Well, I don't know all the details but I know they had a kid that got killed in the portal they built… I don't remember if it was their kid or someone who was there for the event, but… yeah... I just remember their girl in grade school and all the parents telling us to keep away from that family." Sam scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"It made me want to try to make friends with Jasmine, knowing it would piss my parents off, but she was really hard to talk to… I remember for the longest time there was a rumour going around that she was a ghost or something too, which would have been funny if it were true, and she snapped at everyone who accused her of it. No one really talks to her much now," Sam trailed off and shook her head. "Kinda sad really."

"Sad? I suppose it would be if the daughter was isolated through no fault of her own," Danny frowned at the thought. He didn't have too many friends in the realms, but he had plenty of others he could turn to for help and to stave off the loneliness. If she truly only had two others, her parents, to turn to, well, Danny couldn't imagine ONLY having Frostbite and Pandora to turn to…

"She's nice enough now I guess," Sam shrugged. "A real teacher's pet though. She almost single-handedly organizes the spirit week stuff… which might I add is a lot less cool than it sounds," Sam shook her head and dropped her arms back to her sides as they continued to walk. "Why're you interested in that stuff anyway?"

"I am interested in the ghostly things?" Danny tried, seeming to come across more of a question than a statement, earning a snort from Sam.

"Ghosts are so mainstream now, they're not cool anymore," Sam responded with a flippant flick of her wrist.

Danny was both confused and slightly offended by the comment but chose to keep his mouth shut. He was starting to recognize the area they were approaching anyway, "That is the park!" he exclaimed with a smile, happy to move the topic of conversation to less awkward waters.

"Yeah. That's why we went this way after all so you can find your way home. Right?" Sam stressed the question, raising a brow to the boy.

"Well, this is where I was dropped off the other night…" Danny offered. "Thank you for returning me here," he said in earnest, dipping his head in gratitude.

"Yea, sure… You know where to go, then?" Sam asked skeptically.

Danny nodded in return smiling to the goth. "Though if I were to want to talk to the Fentons which direction are they?" Danny asked having decided to press his luck.

Sam didn't say much at first simply eyeing him a moment before sighing. "They have a big neon sign, FentonWorks, you can't miss it. Hell, you can even see the glow from here, but I wouldn't recommend it," she warned eyes narrowing as she spoke. "They get even weirder if you ask them about ghost stuff."

"Right." Danny looked to the direction of the neon green glow that Sam pointed out in the skyline. "Well, regardless, thank you for your help."

Sam gave a grunt of acknowledgement and rolled her eyes, knowing the look of determination from Tucker. Nothing she could say would stop him from going to talk to them. "Whatever, your funeral." She turned on her heel and gave him a wave as she began to walk across the street, heading for home

Danny watched her go a moment, waiting until she turned the corner before darting into the treeline of the park. He felt it earlier, right before the knight ghost attacked, a bubbling chill in his chest that was still suppressed, but the fact his leg was almost healed now… Perhaps whatever chain had been binding his core had loosened?

He looked about the area and held out his hand, it sparked with green energy dancing and weaving about his fingers, causing the teen to smile brightly. It took far more focus, almost enough to drain him mentally from the strain, but it was there. The comforting thrum in his chest was back, pulsing in time with his heartbeat, an odd but relieving feeling.

His powers were returning. By no means was he back to full strength but it is a good start! Now the next issue, is how does he return to his ethereal form? He fumbled about in his inner pocket and pulled out the necklace he had worn for as long as he can remember, eyeing the cracked stone. Was this the cause? And if so how can he repair it?

He ran his thumb over the broken gem and could feel the latent power held within. There must be a way to repair this at least somewhat right? He paused and thinks, brow furrowing as he strained, before he smiled.

He closed his eyes in concentration and pushed his energy to coat the gem. It takes a bit of time, and far more energy than it should have, but soon a thin layer of ecto-ice is formed over the surface of the gem and gold band. He was panting from his tiredness, but he couldn't stop the triumphant grin that found its way to his lips.

Danny fumbles a bit trying to attach the choker but eventually, he does get the jewellery to cooperate with him. "Okay…. Now turn me back!" Danny commanded the gem.

An advantageous cricket, with a love of comedic timing apparently, filled the silence.

Right. That shouldn't have come in as much of a surprise as it did. Maybe he did get his hopes up too high… Danny sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead. When in doubt, poke and focus on your core right? It's how he learned to utilize most of his powers so why shouldn't it work here?

He screwed up his face as he concentrated. He wasn't really sure what he needed, or what it would feel like, but he kept pushing at the energy willing it to cover him like it always had. There! He felt his energy spread out from his core darting about his body before it collected and moved to coat him spreading outwards in a flash of light he could see even through his eyelids.

He could feel his weightlessness return to him before he even opened his eyes. His usual clothing now back to the usual garb he wore as well. He fiddled with the tunic to make sure it was sitting right along his waist before he checked over everything else. Satisfied everything was as it should be, he looked off towards the FentonWorks glow.

At least he felt more himself, and the heartbeat was no longer loudly beating in his ears, allowing him a blissful reprieve. With a nod to himself, he tries to turn invisible a few beats later he blinked out of the visible spectrum. He bobbed in the air a moment before he sighed. Would it be wise to head that way now with him still pulling this hard at his powers?

On one hand, he could get home and have Frostbite tell him exactly what had happened to his core and either how long he'd have to wait it out for, or how he can fix it. On the other hand, if he did go and ran into the hunters he may not be able to properly defend himself. If they had things that would render him completely helpless as Plasmius had, it would be far worse to go in now and without a plan…

He rubbed the leather-covered heel of his palm into his eyes with a tired sigh. Tired… why was he this tired already? He cursed under his breath and dropped his invisibility. "Well, that answers that…" He muttered to himself lowly.

Perhaps he'll have to wait until tomorrow after all. Or what about that Jasmine Sam mentioned? Perhaps he would be best to approach her? From the sounds of things, it was only the elder parents he needed to be wary of with his ghostly nature, right? At least he hoped so…

With a tired and forlorn sigh, he dropped fully to the ground his energy having already drained. This time though, he was able to fully witness the light show he had produced. A blue-white ring ran across his body changing the cool comfort to warm anxiety.

He presses a hand to his chest and frowned. He was sure he had more energy than that… it was almost like there was still something blocking him from his core's normal function. He let out a growl of frustration and launched a punch into a nearby tree.

He blinked in surprise before recoiling his hand with a yelp from the pain he felt in his knuckles. This form was so much more fragile than he was used to. Looking to the tree that had caused him the pain he felt a small twinge of satisfaction he had at least dented and damaged the bark some.

He shook out his hand and turned to walk deeper into the park heading back towards the fountain that he had slept near last night. He stared at the flowing water and to the collection of coins at the bottom of the pool wondering idly if it would be worth the risk to try to wish his way back home.

He shook his head almost immediately. It would do him no good to wallow in his sorrow and self-pity. He needed solutions not complacence or hope for a quick fix. With a firm nod to himself, he thought up a possible plan. It most likely wouldn't do much more than to keep his mind off current problems, but it was better than sitting and wallowing.

Stamina, he needed to work on that as it was, so maybe he should run through some simple exercises. At the very least his ethereal tiredness could be matched with physical tiredness allowing him to sleep through the night.

Danny fixed his stance and began shadow boxing, pretending to jab and dodge an invisible enemy, which now that he thought about it was ironic… He smirked at that and rolled to the side before springing up to sweep and grapple his imaginary opponent.

As Danny continued his routine, he failed to notice the spectator he had gained. They watched a moment from the path they were jogging on, before shaking their head and carrying on. It wasn't any of their business anyway…

The moon had risen high into the sky, just barely poking through the heavy clouds, before Danny felt the pull of exhaustion. The teen sighed deeply before dunking his head into the water from the fountain, having removed his cloak and shirt during his routine.

He stared into his reflection a few moments, eyes landing on the now yellowed bruise that was on his neck. Thankfully that was healing faster now with his core coming back online, but it was still nowhere near where it should have been. He rubbed along the outline of the mark, before trailing down his body to trace his death scars. The puckered scars branching out like a tangled maze coiling around his core and spreading out and fading down his arms and torso, in a darker flesh tone than his current human one.

He found it ironic that he looked more of a ghostly colour as a human then as an actual ghost. It was still so surreal to him…. To see himself this pale pink colour instead of the greenish tan he had grown used to… he'd sometimes used to imagine what he had looked like when he was alive… but to actually see it, here and now? To stare into his living reflection and not just that of an old photo? To have his whole view of himself changed and turned upside down.

It made him think… and not in a good way.

Just who was he supposed to be? Was there a human family he should have been apart of instead of the one who had taken him as a ghost? And how did all this come to pass? Not that he wasn't grateful for the ones who'd raised him, Pandora, and all her guards and warriors, and Frostbite and his clan… he would never trade them for anything.

And yet…

Would it be worth looking for his human origins? Would it be worth it as a ghost trying to find that connection, or should he stay away from trying to seek answers?

He sighed deeply and stared up at the pale moon, letting the quiet of the night and beautiful sight soothe him. As he sat, slowly the clouds began to thin, allowing a few stars to be seen. He couldn't help but smile at that. It was gorgeous, it was steady and constant.

Why couldn't he be like that? Knowing what he was, who he was and able to be steadfast no matter what?

He ran a hand through his sodden hair and let out a yawn. Perhaps he could still be a star… All he needed was to get home, back to The Zone, where his life made sense. "Yeah," he muttered to himself. He just needed to get home, where he could shine, and with the help of his family, he could focus that light into something powerful.

He promised himself that whenever he managed to find a way home, he would work extra hard to make his family proud. It may take a while, but he'd make sure to be the best warrior they had. As he stared up at the moon, and the three stars he could see through the clouds, and he smiled.

Time shouldn't be concerning him at all. He'll get home one way or another eventually, right? After all, the light that comes from the stars takes time to reach your eyes, and it was just as pretty from here after having travelled for thousands of years to get here.

With that soothing thought, he replaced his shirt and laid down on the grass, using his cloak as a pillow. Tomorrow. He'll try and confront the Fentons about the portal tomorrow…. But for tonight, he'll be content to rest under the stars.

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Please R&R and let me know your thoughts :) also have a few 14 hour days next week so wish me luck on that too ^^ **


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